Genuine Courage
by MagicName88
Summary: He proclaimed himself to be the King of Loners, a selfish, cynical man whom everyone thought of him as a creep, and he's proud of being all of that. And yet, he always helped people with their problems even if he's being hated or forgotten in the end. Even after being betrayed by his clubmates, he continued to help people, and now he will help them even in the face of danger.
1. Chapter 1:Enter The Path of Selflessness

Hello! I'm MagicName88 here with a new fanfic! This idea suddenly popped up in my head after writing chapter 6 of my first fanfic **"A Certain Scientific Loner"**. I want to practice my writing in third-person by writing this one. Don't worry I won't abandon my other fanfic as I'll be focusing more on that than this one. Probably after its first arc, I'll start focusing on this one (Which I don't know when will that be but I promise). There isn't much 8manxSagami so I thought "Fine, I'll do it myself". It's sorta unfair that Sagami didn't get many appearances, especially in the anime. I was so excited for the Athletics Festival arc since that was like her small redemption arc but the anime decided to COMPLETELY remove her from that arc. It wasn't bad but still disappointed.

Also, please read my first fanfic **"A Certain Scientific Loner"**, a crossover between Toaru series and Oregairu series. Yeah, For some of you wondering, I already tagged it as a crossover.

Anyways without further ado here is my second story.

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Oregairu series as its owned by its respectful creator and company.**

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Hikigaya Hachiman; Male, 17 years old, a student of Sobu High School, the proclaimed King of Loners, and a member of the Service Club. Well, FORMER member. He couldn't comprehend the mindset of girls and other people nor did he intend to, but now he wants to understand Yukinoshita and Yuigahama. No, he wants to understand everyone. He doesn't want to be pitied, be treated nicely to save their images, nor does he want of be understood like some cliche edgy character who couldn't move on from his past. He wants to read other people's minds, know their intentions, and what they're really feeling. And after knowing those things, he would rest easy with that knowledge and think of appropriate actions to that person's mindset. He can see a person's intentions just through observation but it's not the same as reading accurately as his analysis was sometimes twisted by his pessimistic view of society. Even so, he is desperate to figure out what makes a person tick in a psychological and sociological standpoint. That's why he wants to know...

"What did they really thought of me?" Here we have our protagonist mumbling to himself as he is biking his way home after being removed from the Service Club. It was all a blur to him, the look on their satisfied face when they witnessed his reaction to the paper of dismissal, the contents of that paper which he still has it in his bag, the signs of being stabbed in the back, even the clubroom that he was so familiar with was too blurry to remember at that moment. He's not hurt, nor sad of his situation, but rather he felt...empty.

"Stop struggling, you bitch!"

He pushed the brakes and stopped biking as he heard an aggressive shout from a dark alley.

"Let go!" And then he heard a familiar female voice. He placed his bike beside the alley wall and spy on the situation. He can only see the backs of three guys, possibly high school students since they're wearing school uniforms, and a girl. Those guys cornered her on a wall with the guy in the middle grabbing her arm. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at the girl closely; she's wearing a summer high school uniform that looks like from Sobu High, has short brownish hair that reaches down her nape, grey eyes, some earrings, and polished nails.

_Sagami?!_ He said in his mind. This girl is Sagami Minami, one of Hikigaya's classmates, and the 2nd most popular group in his class. Well, she WAS the 2nd most popular, probably. After the whole absurdity in the Athletics Festival, she lost what she used to call "friends" although that didn't mean it took a turn for the worse on her part. She was starting to improve herself, seeing "growth" as truly one of her main priorities as shown in the Athletics Festival Committee meetings as she took the role of chairman once again but this time she worked properly and hard. The first two meetings, she had Yukinoshita guide her through some of the works but after that, she was able to do it by herself. The only problem she faced was her "friends" getting in the way of the festival plans. It went downhill for her but the festival worked out in the end, at the cost of her friends and what values she has left.

Anyways, as the middle guy looked to the right, talking to one of his companions, Hikigaya noticed something strange on him as his eye appears to be red and heavy-lidded and his pupils are dilated and his movements are all wobbly as if he's drunk.

_Is he really drunk? Or is he using drugs? Either way, this could get worse if no one is stopping them. _He looked around to see if there is police patrolling or just anyone that could help. Sadly, there is none so it's all up to our protagonist. He didn't know that this street is different from the rest as instead of a crowd walking on sidewalks and cars passing by, it almost becomes an empty area at this time since there is nothing interesting here for people to come by. He picked out his phone from his pocket but...

_No battery?! At a time like this!_ Fear is starting to overwhelm him. His legs shaking as he watches. The guy on the right pulled Sagami's shirt violent as he forcefully opens the shirt, buttons popped out and revealing her white bra.

_Are they really going that far?!_ He thought. He could only think of two options; Run away and find a police nearby, or save Sagami by himself.

_I should find someone to help. B-but what if we don't make it in time to save her?_

"Hey, I call first dibs." The middle guy said.

"Alright, I'm okay with her mouth."

"Hey, make sure you don't get TOO rough on her, I wanna do her next."

Hikigaya didn't have time to decide as they are really set on raping her. The guy on the right is getting his hands inside her skirt as she screamed in fear.

"PLEASE! SOMEONE! JUST ANY-" The middle guy stopped her from screaming by covering her mouth with his hand. Hikigaya thought of just running away and pretend none of this ever happened. That should've been a wise choice, right? He IS a cynical, selfish loner and he is very proud to be one so much so that he might start boasting about it. So why is he hesitating to ignore her?

_"You know the reason, Hikigaya-kun."_

A memory filled his mind as he stopped shaking.

_"As effective as your methods were, it still doesn't change the fact that they were despicable that it suits you disgustingly well."_

He stood still reminiscing of that memory. It was just a few hours ago, but it felt so distant that he might forget about it. It's not because that memory is traumatizing or anything, it's because he learned something from that memory.

_"It has already come to a point where even I am unable to fix you of that rotten personality. I apologize but I must ask you to leave this club."_

Her reasoning was very confusing. Even if his methods were despicable, it did the job done so he thought she was just lying and was just trying to get rid of him. Right now, he thought it's partly true, while there are some lies in her reasoning, she did make a point that he can never truly help someone if his views are twisted, no matter how much logic it contains. In this situation, his ideals won't help her, and being a lazy scumbag would only worsen his guilty conscience. No matter how many times he would call himself a selfish good-for-nothing, in reality, he is very kind to others even though it was awkward for him, he fulfilled the Service Club requests, he never hesitated to berate Sagami in the Cultural Festival at the cost of his social status in school. In the end, he is a good person. And so...

"HAHAHAHA! A pretty face and a nice body! We really caught the jackpo-" The guy on the right didn't finish his sentence as he was hit in the head by a bike. Hikigaya threw the bike at him first since he was bigger than the others and Hikigaya thought that would be a big disadvantage if he didn't take care of that.

"What the-!" Sagami and the two guys looked at their companion/would-be rapists. The delinquents turned around to look but it was too late. Hikigaya already closed the distance by running and jumped forward and then punched the left guy in the face and used that momentum to slam his head on the wall. Hikigaya quickly followed up with a thrust kick in the middle guy's gut and he fell to the ground.

"Gah!" He grunted in pain and that was the loner's chance to escape with Sagami.

"Sagami! Come on, get up!" He shouted at Sagami but she was still in shock of all this that it took a while to process what he just said and got up. Just as she ran and Hikigaya was about to follow her, he was suddenly got pulled on the leg by that drunken/drugged delinquent and he fell face flat.

"Hikigaya!"

"Just go! Keep running!" He shouted and she looked at him in a scared expression but she complied in the end and left him with the delinquents.

"You bastard!" The delinquent that pulled his leg shouted and he used his body weight to keep the loner lay still on the ground. He then held a pocket knife in his right hand.

_A knife?!_ Hikigaya thought in fear. The delinquent was about to stab him in the face but he reacted in time by blocking it with his hand.

"GAAAAAHHHH!" The loner screamed in pain as his right palm was stabbed by a knife and got stuck as he held it along with the delinquent's grip. As adrenaline coursed through inside his body, Hikigaya tried to punch him in the face but the drunken/drugged student caught his left wrist. Keep in mind that Hikigaya is very lacking in physical capabilities and combat experience so he can't push the delinquent off him even with all the adrenaline.

"Let go so I'll make this less painful for you! Hey come on, get up you dumbasses!" The delinquent shouted at his companions and they tried to stand up but to no avail.

Even though Hikigaya is weak, he still has his smarts. He searched for a weapon but he didn't find anything useful so he planned on hitting the big guy's head by throwing the bike since he thought that running up towards them to bash at close range is stupid because they would immediately hear his footsteps and he can't really use his bike as a melee weapon due to its weight. As for the other guy, using his momentum from running, he jumped forward and punched his face so hard he pushed his head on the wall. Both got hit in the head in different ways. The loner figured he couldn't get a solid hit in the drunken/drugged man's head nor face because he thought that the man already registered what's going on so he thrust a kick in the gut to lose his balance.

"Just stop this already!" Hikigaya shouted.

"Heh! You and what army!" The delinquent shouted back. He isn't in his right mind now so Hikigaya needs to run away as he noticed the other two are starting to recover. While still grabbing both of the delinquent's hands, he pulled back so that he could get his face close and hit him with a headbutt on the nose and pushed him to the side.

"Ggghh!" the delinquent rolled side-to-side as held his nose with blood dripping from it. Hikigaya stood up, removed the knife from his hand despite the pain and ran as fast as he can until he lost them. He didn't know where he is going, the only thing in his mind was to get away from them. After running for a few minutes, he stopped and turned around to see if they're chasing and saw no one. He panted while leaning forward to hold his knees. He thought about Sagami if she was safe and concluded that she will be since she must've run far.

"Goddamn...that...was...crazy," The exhausted loner said between breaths. He thought back on that whole incident earlier. He knew that something like that existed in this world but he never encountered one in real life but now that he did, a new view of the world was in his dead-fished eyes.

"Heh, as if...That would be the last time I would do something that stupid. Next time, my phone would still have battery and call the police. Yeah...that's for the best." He mumbled and started walking home. He never thought of himself as a hero, a genius, or anything special. He's just a creepy high school loner who loves himself more than anyone, aside from his sister, of course.

* * *

**A day later**, **Saturday evening**.

_You've got to be kidding me._ The supposed cynical loner thought as he witnessed another harassment in an alley. This time, two delinquents ganging up on a girl to hang out with them. This is very bad timing for our protagonists as he forgot his phone at home and his hand is still healing from the stab wound. There are people around but no one is helping her. Can't they see she's in trouble? Or are they thinking that this just normal and nothing wrong will happen? Pretty optimistic from them as Hikigaya noticed one of the delinquents grabbed her wrist violently while the other guy covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming. He looked around and no one is noticing this. He sighed and ran into the alley to save the girl. He surely hoped that this would be the last time he would do something like this.

Unfortunately for the loner, this wouldn't be the last as he will face even more dangers, each worse than the last. He has begun to enter a world that a young teen should never go.

Hikigaya Hachiman; Male, 17 years old, a student of Sobu High School, the proclaimed King of Loners, and former member of the Service Club. And also the rumored " Young Interloper of Crime".

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Thank you for reading this fanfic! Please leave a review, your opinions will help me make this story better.


	2. Chapter 2:The Story of Voice and Bravery

Well, this isn't what I had planned. I wanted to write my first fanfic but suddenly I got the urge to write this one. Hmmm...maybe one more chapter? Yeah, I'll write chapter 3 of this THEN go back to **"A Certain Scientific Loner"** which I want you to please read and review that. Now on with the story, sorry I can't write my responses to your reviews cuz I'm running out of time. I had a problem and I need to fix it quickly. But thank you for your reviews last chapter, it means so much to me that you read this fanfic. If this chapter felt rushed, please let me know since again, this problem I had is bothering my time. I apologize for the inconvenience

Now on with the story...

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Oregairu series as it is respectfully owned by the creator and studio.

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It's been a week since that incident and our one and only cynical loner is still thinking about it. The expression from Sagami when she thought her life was over, the terrifying attempt from those three delinquents, and the pain in his hand when he blocked that knife. It was unreal for Hachiman that he really did all that to save the girl that he traumatized in the Cultural Festival with his villainous words. He and Sagami aren't enemies anymore, nor they're friends, they are just neutral to each other. However, that may change after saving her from an attempted rape. The loner is not being optimistic about it, like thinking that they will become best friends or he somehow raised a flag to the Sagami route. He gave up thinking like that since middle school after that humiliating confession event. Is he expecting a thank you? No, for him, it was just like dealing with the Service Club requests except he might actually die if he screwed up.

He thought that would be the last time he encountered such a dangerous situation but he was wrong. Throughout the week, one way or another when he walked home from school, he somehow got himself roped into a few troubles; Another rape attempt, a simple bullying towards a middle schooler, accidentally bumping to a group of delinquents, beating up some grown adults when he eavesdropped and heard that they pickpocketed a poor businessman's wallet. He butted in willingly and stopped those criminals. But it wasn't that he made it in one piece. There is a little bruise on his cheek, a stab wound on his other hand from blocking another knife, also some bruises all over his body too which resulted in his difficulty to move well and all of these injuries covered in bandages. Speaking of injuries, his first stab wound hasn't healed yet and in fact, it might've got worse since he used it on instinct to fight. Luckily, he's still able to move it but he wondered how long until some doctor recommend to amputate it.

"Onii-chan? Where did you get those injuries? Did you get into a fight!?" The girl shouted. This girl is Hikigaya Komachi, our protagonist's adorable little sister. Right now, they're in the living room of their sanctuary called "home" as they sat on the couch while Komachi is treating his scraped cheek with an ointment in a cotton ball. For a few days, he hid his injuries from his little sister so that she wouldn't worry about him but now he got busted as she went home earlier than him and she saw those bandages.

"Yeah, I got into a fight, that's all." He answered nonchalantly.

"Why? Are they bullying you? Did you accidentally bumped into them and got beaten up?"

"That's part of the reasons."

"Eh?" Komachi wore a confused expression. The older brother contemplated if he should tell his little sister about how he kept getting himself in dangerous situations but he decided to tell her in the end since there is no reason for him to lie.

"I recently beat up a few a$$!#()! for stealing a person's wallet." He answered while scratching his cheek and looked away. Silence filled the room and it's starting to bother him so he slowly moved his eyes to look at her expression and saw that she's just staring at him deadpanned.

"Onii-chan... As much as I love you, it's still creepy that you're showing off your chuunibyou act."

_She didn't believe me, huh?_ He said in his mind. He sighed and decided to show the other stab wound since that was what he recently got from those thieves. He unwrapped the bandage in his right hand and showed her the wound.

"Eh?!" She gasped as she stared at his wound. It's still healing so a little blood started coming out from it.

"I got this from one of those a$$!#(). Believe me now?" He said and wrapped the bandages back to his right hand.

"W-why didn't you call the police instead?" She stuttered.

_Huh, I wonder. It's probably better to leave that problem to the police but I just butt in and did the job myself like it became some sort of a habit of mine._ He wondered. Maybe he did all of that because he wanted to prove himself, in other words, recognition. But he isn't that kind of person. He never liked attention, especially from raijuus. Perhaps the reason is much more complicated than that. He still couldn't find out but one thing is for sure...

_I couldn't just stand there and do nothing._

For now, that was the conclusion the loner thought of. His view of society changed but only slightly. He still sees society as a structure built with the lies that are called "Youth" and a genuine relationship will never develop until they reached adulthood, which is already too late for them to learn. But still, it is better for them to learn too late than not learn at all or learn it in the worst possible way. He is still cynical so just because he helped people in danger, doesn't mean he will be friends with them, but he will help people if he is needed.

"As if the police would help. Society is flawed in many ways, dear sister and-"

"Stop with your creepy speech about youth and society! This and that are different!" She shouted.

"***SIGH*** I don't know, really...I just want to help." He said it quietly but Komachi heard it.

"If you want to help, call the police or someone that can help instead, not getting yourself hurt."

"...okay." He said.

"Are you sure? Pinky promise?" She asked as she put out her pinky. Hachiman hesitated but complied in the end and he held her pinky with his own.

"Promise."

"Pink promise~ hope to die~ swallow a thousand needles if you lie~" The little sister sang the children's rhyme called "Yubikiri" while swaying their held pinkies up and down.

"Now, let's eat dinner! I cooked my special curry because I know that'll boost yourself up to be a good Onii-chan! Kyaaaah! That must've earned me a ton of Hachiman points!" She shouted while walking to the kitchen and prepare the plates. The loner looked at his pinky for a few moments before standing up and go to the dining table. He didn't know what hurts more, the injuries from being beaten up or his pride as an older brother from being scolded by the cutest little sister.

What he did know is that he might break the pinky promise a lot sooner than expected. After all, life has its own funny ways of forcing people into things.

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**Next day morning.**

The cynical loner is currently running to get to school since he lost his bike from the first incident. When he went back on that alley the day after he escaped, his bike was broken to pieces that it may not even be repaired.

_Only a few minutes until the first bell rings. Goddamnit! Why can't I wake up early for once!_ He screamed in his mind as he reached the school entrance and quickly open his locker to put on his indoor shoes, only to see that there are thumbtacks inside them.

_Oh, come on! Now is not the time for bullying you sh!%%^ raijuus!_ He quickly removed the thumbtacks and checked inside his shoes if there are still left. Satisfied that he removed all of them, he put the shoes on and ran to his classroom as fast as possible. But the bell rang already as he reached the second floor. He ran on the hallways and see the homeroom teacher's back with her long black hair and wore her signature labcoat about to enter class 2-F. That teacher is Hiratsuka Shizuka, a 25-year-old woman who is also the Service Club advisor and guidance counselor. A week ago when Yukonishita told her that Hikigaya should quit the club, she was surprised by that and asked why. The Ice Queen's answer...

_"He is starting to become a nuisance. Right now, it is impossible for me to fulfill your request of 'fixing' his attitude. I apologize sensei, but this our only option."_

The homeroom teacher knew that there was something wrong with what Yukinoshita said. She only saw hatred on the Ice Queen's emotions when she spoke, and even after trying to convince her to let him stay. Shizuka still doesn't know why, but either way, it's best for Hikigaya to remove him from the Service Club. He would only get himself hurt if he stayed there. That should've been the best course of action from her but she might soon realize how wrong she is.

Shizuka turned around and saw the loner himself running towards her. She felt angry until it disappeared as she narrowed her eyes to look at him clearly. She noticed the bandages on his face and hands and that made her worried.

"S-sorry, Hiratsuka-sensei! I woke up a little late so uh..." He said as he tried to think of a way to stop her from punching him from being almost late. Now technically, he should've been safe since he made it in the nick of time but for someone like Hiratsuka Shizuka, slight tardiness might be equal to one of her devastating blows. Meanwhile, the homeroom teacher just looked at his injuries. When he first went to class with his first bandaged-covered hand, he told her that it was because he messed up when cooking food. In his second one, he gave the same excuse, saying he's practicing hard to cook as a hobby but she already knew he was lying. Even if he was expelled from the Service Club and that resulted in him trying new things, there were still some lies hinted here and there so Shizuka called Komachi about those bandages. His little sister said she wasn't aware of that since he came home way too early and locked himself in his bedroom. Something happened to her lone student and whatever it is, she had a feeling that it might be far worse than she imagined.

"It's fine, just get in already. Also, what's with that on your cheek? Another failed cooking attempt?" She asked as she wondered what excuse he'll come up this time.

"Oh, this is from my cat. You know Kamakura, right? He sometimes jumped into one of our bedrooms and this morning he went to mine and then when I woke up, I accidentally hurt his tail with my foot so yeah..." He said without flinching or stuttering. He already came up with an excuse yesterday to hide the truth behind his injuries. If the school finds out about this (which he had a bad feeling they might), He doubted he would be praised for his good deeds and instead might get suspended or expelled for violent behavior. It is true that he did all that to help people but the school might think otherwise and say to him that there could've been better ways to do that. He can't allow that to happen. What if he is there when something bad happened and no one else is there to stop it? Should he just watch? Is that common sense for normal citizens to just ignore because it's not their job to do it?

"Oy Hikigaya, what's wrong?" His homeroom teacher asked. He must've spaced out.

"Nothing, sensei." He answered as he followed Shizuka behind and enter the classroom.

"Alright, class! Put out your textbooks so we can start a new lesson today!" She ordered the class and they complied. As the loner went for his seat, some of them are staring at him and whispering.

"What happened to him?"

"Did he get into another fight?"

"He really might be a delinquent."

"Maybe a criminal?"

As of now, his reputation got worse when they saw the bandages. Some speculated he has been through fights with other schools, others think it was cosplay and he has chuunibyou, and some think that he became a criminal even though they had nothing to prove it. One of the terrifying aspects of school is that students always twist stories just to make them interesting. After all, they want to have a thrilling, youthful experience so that they can tell the tale when they're grown up.

_Or they're too dumb to look at things from a different angle or maybe they're too bored. Raijuus are really the lowest scums of the earth._ The loner thought. As he sat on his chair, he put out the textbook from his schoolbag and have a quick look around him; His classmates are still staring at him and whispering while some are just minding their own business. He looked behind to see Yuigahama and Yumiko sneering at him.

_Huh, even though Yuigahama sneered at me, I sorta find that adorable._ He thought. It is very hard to picture Yuigahama with an evil smug that oozes "evil" on it. The way the bubbly airhead sneered isn't much different from her usual cute giggle. To be fair, everything she does is adorable. Cute face, cute voice, cute attitude, when it comes to being the cutest girl aside from his little sister, Yuigahama still takes the cake even after she betrayed him. The loner tried to imagine Yuigahama as some bully but he can't not because he thought of her as a friend nor felt hurt from imagining it, it's because it's that hard to imagine Yuigahama looking evil with that face of hers. When he tried to imagine Yuigahama's evil grin, all he saw was a cute smug as if she's confident her cooking won't fail this time. Hachiman then looked at Sagami who was also staring at him for a few minutes since he entered. When she noticed him looking at her, she blushed and went back to her textbook. The loner couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at that in confusion. Did he really trigger a flag for the Sagami route?

* * *

"Good morning! Hachiman!" The cute boy that looks like a girl greeted the loner as he approached his seat since lunch break just started. This is Totsuka Saika, one of Hikigaya's classmate, a cute MALE student that is the definition of the term "Trap", the president of the Tennis Club and the only angel existed in Hikigaya's life right now.

"G-good morning." The loner stuttered while blushing. Truly, the world is cruel.

"What happened to your cheek?" The angel asked as he tapped his own cheek with his finger.

"My pet cat was sleeping on my bed, that's what happened." He said in a deadpan tone.

"Oh, well I hope he didn't hurt you too much." He said with a smile. Totsuka is an angel, indeed.

"It's nothing serious, just a few scratches that's all."

" If you say so." The angel looked around and leaned forward to whisper. "Are you okay? When I heard that you were expelled from the club-"

"It's fine. In fact, I feel more grown-up." Hikigaya said and Totsuka looked confused as his head was tilted.

"Eh? What do you mean by that?"

"Trust me, even I don't know but that's the only word that I can describe what I'm feeling right now."_ Besides the pain in my body_.

"Hmmm... Does being grownup something like... realizing something amazing?" Totsuka asked.

"Huh. Yeah, it is something like that. And that you-"

"Hikigaya," The loner was interrupted by Sagami. She looked angry for the most part, but she has that blush on her cheeks. Some of the classmates are staring at them and whispering things that the loner doesn't care one bit.

"Uuhh, yeah?" He asked. This is awkward for both of them since they didn't talk after that horrifying incident. Now a week has passed and she decided to approach him and Hikigaya wondered why did she pick this timing.

"Do you...wanna hang out with me after school?" And then the entire classroom is silent.

"Ummm...What?" The loner asked with eyes widened even though his eyes are already like a dead fish. Sagami looked away while fidgeting and her blush grew even redder.

"I-I'm saying there's this new restaurant not far from here, and I heard it's really good. I want to treat you for...y'know. So...wanna hang out with me?"

Hachiman at first, wanted to decline but something stopped him; One, he thought that she is cute looking all shy and whatnot. This isn't some act to sway men in her favor, this is the real deal. Two, he saved her and she wants to treat the loner as an appreciation for his help so it would be sort of rude to not accept her "thank you" gift. Lastly, free food, one of our protagonist's greatest weaknesses. Of course, he couldn't turn down an offer such as a food that he doesn't need to work to get it nor does he need to pay. So his answer is...

"I don't see why not."

"Eh?" Both Totsuka and Sagami gasped.

"Eh!?" And so did everyone else in the classroom.

"R-really?" Sagami asked with her eyes shining.

"Yeah, I'm kinda curious about that restaurant so sure." He said it nonchalantly while smiling. Normally, his smile would creep people out but now...it still does. To the brown-haired girl, it was different. After the Athletics Festival, she didn't view him anymore as some creep but a reliable person and today, he's her hero. When he smiled, her heart is beating unnaturally like she is exhausted without doing anything physical. She still didn't know what but one thing is for sure for the pretty maiden,

_This feeling isn't bad at all_

"Okay then!" She said happily and gave him a smile of her own.

Whispers are getting louder as they filled the room because the entire class is flabbergasted by the conversation of these two. Meanwhile, Hachiman and Minami are just staring at each other smiling. The two are just off into their own world together.

* * *

Class just ended and everyone started packing their things. The loner finished packing and looked at the brown-haired girl to wait for her. She finished packing up and looked at Hachiman with a smile and approached him.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah, I hope you like cooked sushi," She answered as they went out of the classroom side-by-side.

"Isn't sushi supposed to be raw?" The loner asked.

"Well, yeah but they said that you can cook the fish and do even crazier stuff with it and I heard that restaurant is the best when it comes to-"

As the two walked far enough to not be heard from the classroom, Hayama and his clique gathered together and talked.

"Yo, did you see that?" Ooka asked in disbelief.

"I know! It was totes weird! I thought Sagami hate Hikitani after what he did!" Tobe said with an annoyingly loud voice.

"Did something happened between those two? They looked all lovey-dovey back there," Yumiko asked in wonder.

"N-no... Hayaxhachi is dead..." The glasses-wearing fujoshi said while looking down.

"I don't know, Sagamin said something about treating him for whatever he did. Ah! He must've found something embarrassing of her!" Yuigahama exclaimed with a cute fake gasp. Hayama looked at her oddly. When he found out that she and Yukinoshita expelled Hikigaya from the club, he couldn't believe that they feel that way towards the loner, even after all they did together as clubmates for months now.

_Was there really no meaning behind their bond?_ The Prince of Sobu thought. Despite that he hates the loner for his twisted ideals, he still considers Hikigaya a talented individual with flaws. He is his rival but not his evil villain of the story.

"At least they're getting along now. It's much better than hating each other, right?" Hayama said with his signature fake smile.

'I don't know, bro. Ah! Maybe it's the other way around! Like, Sagami found something embarrassing from him and now it's revenge time!" Tobe shouted in excitement.

"That could be it!" Yuigahama agreed and everyone laughed at that and ended the discussion as they left class for club activities. The "couple" is still on the blonde boy's mind, more specifically, the loner and those injuries. He wondered if there is a connection between those injuries and Sagami's behavior but shook that thought off since it's impossible. There might've been more possibilities as to why the loner has them but it couldn't be from fighting delinquents. Hikigaya Hachiman is not that kind of person unless he's been bullied by people, which could be the only plausible answer.

_That could be it, right?_ Hayama thought while holding his chin.

Meanwhile, Yuigahama was also thinking about those "couple" while walking the hallways to the Service Club. She also came to that same conclusion that Hikigaya was being bullied. She thought about her and Yukinoshita's decision of expelling him from the club. While it did bring joy to her that he's out of the way, guilt is starting to take over a little when she saw those injuries. The bubbly airhead thought that they made his life even worse now that he was betrayed and cast aside. For Yuigahama's part, she didn't exactly hate Hikigaya, but rather she finds him at least tolerable when they're in the club. She just gave him cookies out of obligation and nothing else. No special feelings whatsoever. She invited him to the FIreworks Festival because Yukinoshita turned down her invitation and she doesn't want to be alone at the festival so basically he was there for her to kill time. It's more like he was annoying? Creepy? Gross? She didn't know but she knew she doesn't want to be with him. Anger started piling up every time he and Yuikonshita had a "friendly" banter. She noticed something odd about the way her best friend spoke to him. And when she was told the reason for Yukinoshita's hatred toward the loner, Yuigahama stood by her side as her only friend. There is no hatred towards Hikigaya, but she couldn't find the strength to genuinely get along with him. There's no hatred nor any liking, but there's also no neutrality between them. It was very strange to her. But in the end, Yuigahama is a nice girl.

"Yahallo! Yukinon!"

"Good evening, Yuigahama-san"

As she entered the clubroom, she felt relaxed and the comfortable atmosphere with her best friend was removing all of that guilt and anger, and replaced with joy as she was talking with Yukinoshita and a new request came up.

Unfortunately for the bubbly airhead, this room filled with comfort and freedom will one day turn into a room filled with shortcomings and dysfunction.

* * *

Hachiman and Minami entered the restaurant and took the nearest table for two, which is the table at the window where people outside can see the two of them eating together. Hachiman looked at the menu and was surprised that the prices are low.

_The foods are almost as cheap as Saize! This IS a good restaurant. Maybe I should eat here with Komachi someday._ The loner thought as he contemplated what food should he order. Minami will pay for him but that doesn't mean he should get ahead of himself. It's rude to pick the most expensive one and expect a girl to pay it. He's a gentleman, after all.

"So what do you want?" Minami asked while also looking at her menu.

"Hmmm... I don't know, food is cheap enough for me to afford each of these. Are you sure you want to treat me?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's a thank you for saving me."

"I think I should be the one treating you since you're the victim that had been through all that."

"But so are you. I know that those injuries aren't from some cooking accident. Did those...criminals came back at you for revenge?" She asked in worry.

"No, I never saw them again after that incident." He answered.

Hachiman never saw those delinquents after he ran away from them. He browsed the internet to see if there's any news about that incident and yesterday, there was an article about it. According to the article, the big guy willingly turned himself in while the others are currently hiding somewhere. Many speculated that their parents are hiding them and wait for this to blow over but who knows how long that would take or if that would even happen in the first place. Truth is, Minami took a week to approach Hachiman for two reasons; One, she was desperate to find the culprits with the help of the police. No one knew she became a victim of attempted rape because she classified herself as anonymous who went by the name of "Isane" which means "courage" or "sound". One of the investigators suspected that the two hidden culprits' parents to be mentally unstable and are also drug addicts as he noticed some signs such as their behavior and appearance although there is still no concrete evidence of them doing drugs until the drug test came out. That, along with the two culprits still running around, made her parents feared that they might hunt Minami so she became anonymous for now. Hachiman is also been classified as anonymous and went by the name of Isato which derives from the kanji "Isa", meaning brave, and "-to", meaning person. Minami came up with that one.

The media exploded when the article was first published. Many social media users are posting words of encouragement to "Isane" and toxic words to the culprits and their parents. An anonymous user posted that she was also saved by "Isato" from an attempted rape. The loner suspected that it might be that girl he saved from his second attempted rape encounter. The media exploded even more as there was a fan club of "Isato" and many claimed they have also been saved by him from bullying and all other cases that they exaggerated a bit too much. There is even a forum where people post fanfiction about "Isane" and "Isato" and how they became a couple and whatnot. Both Hachiman and Minami read a few of them and felt embarrassed while reading. Of course, they won't tell each other nor anyone that they read at least one fanfiction of that nor will they tell that they were captivated by them. "Isane" became the "voice" for the raped victims as they were inspired to voice out their horrifying experience of being raped. Basically, it's like #metoo except there's no bull #!%%... probably. On the other hand, "Isato" became the symbol of "courage" to people who wants to fight for others. He thought that they were exaggerating a bit there but then again, rape is a very serious crime.

What bothered Hachiman is why didn't the investigators approach him for interrogation.

_Did Minami hide my identity from the police too? But that would make the investigation a little harder and it would be better to have more evidence unless they found enough to put the culprits in prison._ He thought. Whether he would be interrogated by the police or not, he will be okay with either way

"I read the news that two of them are still out there. If you're feeling scared, just let me know and I'll be with you." The loner said to her warmly with a smile and Minami covered her face with the menu template to hide her red face. Reason number two of why she took a week to approach him; She's too nervous and couldn't come up of a way to thank him. It was her mother that came up with this idea as she heard it from one of the neighbors.

"U-um, you don't have to worry about me, the police are searching everywhere for those guys and there is a police car assigned near our house to protect us. S-so don't push yourself, o-okay?" She stuttered.

"...Okay. So what do you recommend here." He asked.

"Oh, well my mom said to try this one." She pointed to a name called "Fried Fish Compassion Sushi". There is no picture of what the food looks like. It says on the menu that it is a very big sushi for two people. He raised an eyebrow at that.

_One big sushi for two people? How exactly big is this? If it's enough for two people then might as well go for it. Plus it's affordable enough for the two of us to pay it. Yeah, I still think I should be the one to treat her._

"Let's try it then, but on one condition." He said while pointing his index finger up.

"What?"

" We'll share the payment. Since we both want to treat each other, and arguing about it would end in a not-so-great conclusion, let's just split the money. I still feel bad for you treating me to this." He said and the girl sighed.

"Fine, if that's what you want. So, drinks?"

"hmm... How about this one?" He pointed to a name called "The CCC Milkshake" and this one has a picture of a milkshake in a big glass.

"It doesn't look too big for one person...Yeah, I'll have that one too." She said. Hachiman waved a hand to call the waitress and said their orders. The waitress looked happy for some reason, and it's not an expression for making customers feel welcome in the restaurant. It's something else.

"So, a Fried Fish Compassion Sushi and The CCC Milkshake?" The waitress asked the two to check that she got it right.

"Yes." They both answered.

"Okay~! The orders will be ready as fast as possible for the couples!" The waitress said while walking towards the counter with glee. Meanwhile, the "couple" is dead silent when she said the word "couple". Both of their faces grew red for different reasons. Minami's case was that she felt embarrassed and happy at the same time while Hachiman is embarrassed and annoyed that the waitress misunderstood their relationship. The atmosphere became very awkward as the two didn't form a conversation for the last two minutes which felt like forever for the "couple". Minami shifted her gaze away from the loner while he just stares at her to analyze her current state.

_Does she really have..._ Hachiman has the ability to read someone's mind or intention. After being crushed by Orimoto's rejection in middle school, he observed people around him from afar, analyzing their intent in every action they made. Being harassed and bullied, his ideals of cynicism and deception on society turned him into what some might call the "Monster of Logic". Although he still has ways to go in Math and Science academics, he spent all of his XP points on observation, speech manipulation, and management. Meaning, Hikigaya Hachiman is not a cliche dense protagonist of a harem anime so he immediately sees that Sagami Minami is in fact, has a huge crush on the loner. However, he doesn't want to reach that conclusion just yet. In the past, he thought that Yuigahama is in love with him since the signs were pretty obvious. Not to mention, Yuigahama almost confessed to him after the Fireworks Festival. But after he was betrayed by his clubmates, he's starting to doubt his observation skills. Did he seriously misunderstand Yuigahama's actual feelings? Or is there something else at play here?

Either way, He's now more or less open-minded on his observation and analysis. To look at every angle is to narrow down the most plausible answer.

" A-Ahem!" Minami fake coughed and got the loner's attention. "S-so, uh, it's almost time for the school field trip."

"Oh, now that you mentioned it, yeah. About a couple of weeks left, right? If I remember right, I think we'll be going to Kyoto." He said.

"Eeeehh~? That sounds kinda boring. What's so fun about that place anyway?" She asked in a bored tone.

"There's a lot of pretty tourist attractions in Kyoto, like the Kinkaku-Ji and Arashiyama. There's a district called Gion that has a lot of good restaurants and shops and even geikos." He answered.

"Geikos?"

"It's a Kyoto dialect for geisha."

"Aren't geishas prostitutes? Are you into those-" She asked in an angry tone and Hachiman interrupted her.

"No, you moron. Geishas are just women performing art, dancing, and singing. They're completely different from prostitutes." He rebutted and Minami stared at his eyes for a while until she looked away with an angry pout.

"Is that so?" She said.

_W-what's with that pout? That's kinda cute, actually._ The loner thought and shook his head in embarrassment from that.

"A-anyway, about the Kyoto trip..." He tried to continue the conversation.

"What? Is there more like those geishas?" She asked, anger filling her emotions.

"No, I was just wondering if you want to form a group with me." He asked. Students form a group of 5 for safety reasons due to that attempted rape incident. Schools are trying to regulate more strict rules to prevent such incidents from happening again which of course there's no guarantee that everyone will follow them.

"E-eh? Well...I don't see why not." Minami agreed while scratching the back of her neck and averting her gaze.

"Really? Thanks." He said.

"Hey, Hikigaya..." She called.

"Hmm?"

"I heard that you were dismissed from that club of yours." Minami said in a small voice but loud enough for the loner to hear it. Silence once again filled the atmosphere of their table until he spoke.

"Yeah, something about how despicable my methods are. It's okay, I understand their reason." That was a lie. He still doesn't know the true reason behind his expulsion of the club.

"Well, I don't. You helped people like me, even if it was despicable. You hurt yourself and make them see you as the villain just to help someone."

"Thanks, but they were right. I can't go on if I'm still a scumbag-"

"No, you're not!" She stood up and shouted. All of the customers and employees are staring at them to see what the commotion was about. Minami bowed and apologize to them and sat back down. The "couple" waited a few moments until they all went back to their normal business.

"You're not..." Minami mumbled and Hachiman heard what she said as he looked at her in wonder.

"Look, you learned your lesson right? There's a limit on how much you can take this pain, right? So why don't you go back there and convinced them to get you back in the club?" She suggested with a serious expression. It's impossible for the loner to do that. What's done is done, his former clubmates sent their message loud and clear to him. He is not wanted nor needed in the Service Club. So his answer to her suggestion is...

"I think that's impossible. They already made their decision, and I wholeheartedly agreed to it. I won't be able to 'fix' myself if the only place I can rely on is the Service Club. I...need to look for more places that could help me." He said as he reminiscing the first rape incident he got involved in. He thought that maybe that was his first step to be a better person.

"Well, let me help you find it." Minami suddenly declared.

"What? You don't have to do that."

"But I do, you did so much for everyone. It's time someone returns the favor. And it starts with me, so be grateful!" She said as she lifted her chest up, hands on her waist and closed her eyes. Hachiman looked at her for a few seconds until he spoke.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm so grateful for my queen to honor me with her service." He said with a sarcastic tone as he bowed his head and his right bandaged-covered hand on his chest.

"You know it! Now tell me your troubles, young commoner as my wisdom as queen shall guide you through peace." She asked while forming a huge grin.

"My lady, my trouble is my growing impatience for our order to arrive. What should this foolish commoner do to be at ease?" He played along and the girl giggled.

"Patience is the most important virtue of a man. So, suck it up and just wait~!" And they both laughed. That was a very cringey interaction but that's what made it funny for them. They don't care if it's cringe or immature, as long as they can laugh about it, there's no problem.

"Sorry for the wait!~" The waitress said to them as she walked towards them while carrying a tray. The "couple" was shocked by the food and it's not only because of its size. It is big but it is enough for two people to finish it. It is sushi, pieces of a fried fish placed over the seasoned rice. What shocked them was that it is shaped like a heart with one half is colored blue and the other red. The two Sobu High students couldn't help but widened their eyes out and their jaws dropped with red cheeks.

* * *

"I'm home!" A middle-aged man shouted in the house as he removed his shoes and stepped on the wooden floor. No one responded to his greeting so he checked the living room to see if there's anyone home. He saw his wife sitting on the couch praying with a big smile on her face.

"Hanabi?" The man called the wife's name. She opened her eyes and wondered who called her and she saw it was her husband.

"Ah! Darling, welcome home~!" She stood up and gave him a peck on the lips.

"What were you doing with that smile on your face? Did something good happened?" he asked as he held around her waist to pull her close.

"Oh, I was just praying for Minami to have a wonderful date with her savior." She answered with glee while his husband's jaw dropped.

"WHAT!?"

"Oh, no! I forgot to tell her about that CCC drink! I hope they ordered it."

* * *

"I-I swear I didn't know that this is for couples. My m-mom... didn't t-t-t-t-tell..."

"I-It's okay. I understand." Hachiman interrupted the stuttering Minami and tried to calm her down while the waitress looked confused for a moment and put the drink in their table which made the "couple"'s jaw dropped further.

"And here's your Crazy Cute Couple Milkshake~!"

_That's what it means?! What kind of stupid acronym is that?!_ The loner thought in embarrassment as he looked at Minami, who stared at him angrily with her face growing even redder.

"H-hey! I didn't know what that "CCC" meant until now! Honest!" He said it while not noticing the blush on his cheeks. The waitress held her giggle at the sight of this "couple" all red and embarrassed. The drink is the same as the one in the picture but what's added is the double straw with a big heart in the middle.

"Enjoy your order~!" With that, the waitress left the two high school students alone in their table.

"L-let's just eat, okay?" Minami asked and the loner could only nod in response. They both held their chopsticks and picked up their piece of the giant sushi. The blue side was on Hachiman while the red side on Minami. As they chew on the sushi. all feelings of embarrassment are washed away because of one thing...

_THIS FOOD IS DELICIOUS!_ Both thought the same thing. For the blue side of the sushi, Hachiman tasted some sort of dairy-like ingredient mixed with other mindblowing combinations.

"This one has cheese?" He said as he picked up another sushi and ate it. He was certain, the blue side's main ingredient is cheese. As for the red side...

"And I tasted tomato sauce on this one." Minami said as she also picked up another one and ate it. Even though its weird appearance would make it difficult to identify the dish as sushi, it still tastes really good.

"Hey let me taste the blue one and you can have the red,"

"Sure." He agreed and as he reached for the red sushi, Minami contemplated whether she should feed him or not but decided not too since the progress would be way too fast for them.

Meanwhile, there is someone watching them at the counter.

"Those idiots! They should've done the 'Aaah~' scene! The 'Aaah~' scene!" The waitress that served the "couple" screamed quietly as she watched those two eat.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The waiter beside him asked with an annoyed tone.

"The 'Aaah~' scene! The one where the girl picks up the food and reach it to the boys face and say 'Aaah~' to make him open his mouth and eat it! It's one of the best romantic scenes! And yet those losers aren't doing it! What are they, virgins?!" The waitress clutched her head in annoyance.

"They're high school students, you idiot!" He said it angrily and smack the waitress's head.

***BAM***

"OUCH!"

"And besides, are they really a couple?" He asked.

"What do you mean? They ordered the things that couples do."

"From their reactions, it seemed that they didn't know what kind of food were they ordering."

"Well, if they aren't a couple YET, that would make this even more exciting! Imagine, our restaurant brought two young teenagers together as the food itself tied the red string for them!" She said as she looked up the ceiling and imagined it. The waiter sighed and went back to his work.

Now back to our "couple".

"So this 'Chojiro' is one of the best sushi restaurants in Japan?" The loner asked in wonder as he put another blue sushi in his mouth.

"Yeah, something about blending technology and 'ancient art' of making sushi. They have iPads that customers use to see how that restaurant's sushis are made and they can order dishes with just one tap. Cool, right?" Minami explained.

"And what about sushi?"

"Fresh and affordable, so it must be good."

"One of the best, huh? I can't imagine what that would taste like after eating this." He smirked and the girl giggled. Hachiman never talked this much with someone although he's just making small responses and ask questions. It felt nice to talk like this, even if his jaw hurt from talking. Yes, his laziness knows no bounds.

"I know right." The two drink the milkshake on the double-straw together but they didn't realize it yet until they opened their eyes and see the other's face. The double-straw is not that long as their faces are close to each other by a few inches. They only stared at each other's eyes as they're off to their own little world again, not even hearing the shriek of the waitress who then fainted after seeing that scene...

...nor did they noticed a Sobu High School student took a picture of that outside of the window.

* * *

**3 days later, Sunday 7 pm**

Hachiman's body has recovered well enough for him to run. It was a miracle that his first stab wound in his left hand healed even after the pain he had been enduring. Perhaps, three days of doing nothing helped his body rest. Right now, our protagonist is walking to a convenience store wearing a white hooded sweater and black jogging pants to buy a list of items that his adorable sister gave him and read the contents.

"Let's see...Ice cream, water bottle, some foot powder for dad...He did say his foot was starting to itch after going home from work." The loner mumbled as he entered the convenient store. he went to every shelf and picked up all the items he needed and went to the cashier and paid the receipt.

"Ah! I forgot about the foot powder." He walked fast into the farthest corner from the cash register and picked up a bottle of foot powder from the shelf. he felt a bump in his back and turned around to see a cute teenage girl with shoulder-length bobbed brown hair and honey-colored eyes. She's wearing a pink frilly sweater and white pants.

"I'm so sorry." The girl apologized while bowing.

"It's okay." He nodded to the girl and looked at the window. He felt something odd from outside as he noticed two men riding a motorbike together parked it near the convenience store. What's strange is that they're walking to the entrance without taking off their full-face helmets and one of those guy's right hand is behind his pants. The other guy walked angrily and also put his hand behind his pants as they get closer to the entrance. The feeling of dread took over the loner's head. He had seen enough TV shows and the news to know where this is going. On instinct, he grabbed the girl and pushed her down to crouch with him and hid behind the shelf.

"This is a robbery! Give me your stuff!" The burglar shouted and shot his pistol two times on the ceiling.

***BANG* *BANG***

"AAAAAHH!" People screamed. By Hachiman's estimation, there are at least 5 people here inside. This is bad for the loner because this is different from his previous encounters.

_T-they got guns. They can k-kill someone with it_. Even though he went head-to-head with someone with a knife two times, a gun has a more powerful aura oozing the atmosphere in the store. A human can't dodge a bullet nor can someone as normal as Hachiman can withstand the pain of being shot by it. When someone is handling a gun, it's like that person has an insta-kill cheat code. He looked at the girl with his arm around her shoulders as she shook in fear.

"Hurry up and put the money in the bag!" One burglar is forcing the female cashier to grab all of the money in the cash register and put them in the bag while the gun is aimed at her.

"Hey! Give me your wallet!" Meanwhile the other burglar is going through people one-by-one to take whatever valuable items they have. Our protagonist stopped shaking and listened to the people's cries. He can't just hide here and wait to be robbed. No matter how stupid of what he was about to do, it's still the right thing. He let go of the girl and looked at her.

"Iroha?! Iroha was that a gunshot?!" He heard a female voice on the girl's phone but he didn't care.

"Stay here." He whispered to her and she looked at him confused.

"W-what are-" He couldn't wait for her to finish as he sneak towards the other end of the shelf since he heard the burglar's footsteps approaching an elderly couple. He listened carefully to the footsteps until he thought it was the right time to strike.

"Better have something good you old ha-"

***BAM***

Hachiman punched hard into the burglar's most precious body part; His testicles.

"Ggghh!" While the burglar is grunting, the loner slapped the gun away and it fell into the ground near the girl. Then, he pulled him down into the shelf with him so he could knock him out without being shot by the other. He quickly unfastened the belt under the burglar's chin, removed the helmet, and smacking his head with it.

***BAM* *BAM* *BAM***

Three hits were enough to knock the criminal out.

"Hey!" The criminal's partner ran towards the commotion and saw the scene. Hachiman quickly threw a loosely closed foot powder at the burglar's face shield to block his vision while at the same time, knocked away his gun from aiming at his head.

***BANG* *BANG***

The burglar wasted two shots to the ceiling and then he felt an excruciating pain on his groin.

"GGHHAA!" He grunted as Hachiman punched his groin and tried to bring him down but the burglar resisted as he elbowed his gut and clumsily punched his face. Hikigaya was pushed back from the hits but he held his ground. He saw the criminal cleaned his face shield and aimed the pistol at him and the loner responded quickly by swinging an upward kick on the wrist.

***BANG***

The burglar wasted another bullet to the ceiling again and got punched in the gut. The loner moved to the side and swung a low kick to the burglar's leg to push him to the ground on his back. He then held the criminal's wrist where the gun was held and unfastened the belt and removed the helmet.

_This guy...He's that drunken bastard that tried to rape Sagami!_ He looked at the exposed burglar's face; Messy blonde hair, red and heavy-lidded eyes, a bandage on his nose from that headbutt back then. The loner has no doubt that this is the same guy. The drunken/drugged delinquent looked at the loner and gasped.

"You're that f*(#!& who stopped me from having my fun." He said as he tried to resist his grasp.

"Fun? Is trying to rape her fun to you? In that case, I'm gonna fix that goddamn head of yours!" Hachiman screamed as he repeatedly punched the delinquent's face until he's knocked out.

The loner stood up but got tired as the adrenaline worn out. He heard cheers everywhere and looked around to see people cheering at him.

"Nice job, kid!"

"You were crazy!"

"Are you 'Isato'?!"

Before he could answer, a siren is heard from outside. It's the police.

* * *

Thank you for reading this chapter! Again, I apologize if this felt rushed but I really do plan on fleshing out the characters more before having one action scene. Next chapter, I'll try my best. And please leave a review. Your opinions will help me make this story better.


	3. Chapter 3: Troubles of the Hero

Hey! It's a me, the author! Here with chapter 3 of this fanfic. Holy crap! This already got a lot of favorites and followers. Thank you so much for reading this! Now it's time for me to focus on writing a new chapter for my other fanfic **A Certain Scientific Loner** which is a crossover between Toaru and Oregairu so please read that and leave a review. Anyways, just because I'm going back to my first fanfic doesn't mean this story is done. After writing the next chapter of "A Certain Scientific Loner", I'll come back to this, then go back to my other story and so on and so forth. Yeah, this story is not yet finished until I see the ending of this which probably won't be that long. Anyways on with the story!

**Disclaimer:** I do NOT own the Oregairu series as it s respectfully owned by the creator and its studio.

* * *

The two burglars were arrested and now they're locked in the police car while the officers interrogate the citizens at the convenience store. Hachiman just sat on the ground near the entrance looking exhausted. He was really that close to knocking death's door with something as scary as a gun aimed at his head. The loud bang from the gun, the smell of gunpowder, and the conviction that blonde criminal had to kill him; All of these things plagued the loner's mind, wondering why people like those criminals exist. Do they exist just to hurt others? To balance the scale of good and evil, and right and wrong? To help the innocent learn things the hard way? He might never know but what he does know is that people like them exist in real life and that terrifies him.

"So that kid beat them up?"

"Yeah! I'm telling you, this kid is something! If it wasn't for him, I would've lost the wedding ring I worked so hard to get!"

Our protagonist listened to the interrogation between the citizen and the police officer. That's right, all that matters to him is that good people like that citizen are smiling in the end. He saw a female officer approaching him with some notepad and pen in her hands. Most likely, he's about to be interrogated as well.

"Excuse me, kid. Are you alright?" The female officer asked. She has long brown hair and olive-green eyes that reminded him of that FIre Queen.

"Yeah, I'm..." He said as he tried to stand up but his legs kept shaking. It isn't that his legs were injured nor does he shiver from the cold night, it is because the adrenaline has faded from his body. In reality, he was scared throughout the whole fight. Who wouldn't when a gun is aimed at his head? But he held it in until it was over and now his body ran out of fumes. He stood up but only for a millisecond and he was about to fall until the female officer caught him.

"Hey, you're not hurt, are you?" She asked in worry as she helped him sit back on the ground.

"Yeah, I'm just tired that's all," The loner answered.

"Okay then, I'm gonna ask you some questions. Will you answer them honestly?" She asked as she bent her knee so she can be at eye level with him.

"Yes."

"Good. Now, first question,"

The questions were simple enough. She was just asking his name, occupation, about what happened here, and about the pair of arrested criminals. Hachiman swore he felt people staring at him, which they are. Most of them are the customers of the convenience store while others are just neighbors and passers-by that happened to hear the commotion. Some of them are texting on their phones like lunatics to post this incident on social media. They tried to take a picture of the loner but police officers were in time to stop them.

"Alright, that's all I needed to ask. Pleasure doing business with you kid." The female officer stood up and walked away until Hachiman called out to her.

"Hey, wait!"

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you going to ask me about that rape incident? Y'know, the one about 'Isane'?"

"Didn't a detective came to your house?"

"No, it's been a week and no police officers came to me."

"Hmm... It must be that idiot with his stupid projects..." She mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, nothing. If no officer interrogated you about that incident then it must be because they might've found enough evidence to get those bastards in jail." She said while holding her chin, pretending to be thinking. "Don't worry about it, you and the girl are safe now. See ya."

And with that, she left. Hachiman can see there is a huge hole in her reasoning. Even if they had enough solid evidence, they need to at least cover his side of the story so that there would be no holes in the case. It's common sense for detectives to look everywhere to make sure a criminal would face punishment for sure so why didn't they?

_So it wasn't Sagami that hid my identity but the police officials? What is going on here? _He thought. He could think for hours but couldn't come up with an idea of why the police did that. Are the investigators that incompetent? Impossible, they were employed at the station for their abilities and performances. Is there a lazy scumbag who cheated his way to finish his job faster? Possibly, but they should've ratted him out a lot sooner since Minami's and that big guy's testimonies included "Isato"'s interference of the crime. All possibilities he could think of only ended up being from impractical to just straight-up nonsense. His final theory of this is ridiculous but it might be possible that it would linger his mind longer than the rest he came up with.

_Did the higher-ups hide my identity on purpose? If so, then what's their intention?_ And with that, he triggered another flag in his journey. He will start to dive deeper into the underworld of society as he will face dangers that are beyond him.

And he will become even stronger. But first, he needs his soul to be crushed for that to happen.

* * *

**Next Day, Morning**

30 minutes before school time.

Our protagonist is eating toast for breakfast on the dining table while watching a video on his cellphone with his earphones. The video is about tricks to increase punching power. He felt that in his fight in the convenience store, there were many close calls such as how he was almost got shot with that pistol, how clumsy some of his movements are and them wearing helmets that proved to be his disadvantage. It would've been better if he enrolled himself in martial arts lessons or join in some karate club in school but there were problems that prevented him from doing that; One, his family. He told his sister about one of his crime encounters and she got mad by that. If he tells her or even his parents that he wants to join in some dojo, they would immediately refuse since his sister can convince them with her devilish weapon known as the "Precious Daughter". Two, His reputation. As the Most Hated Man in Sobu High, there's no doubt that he would be treated as a punching bag than an actual member of their group so his only option to get better at fights is to watch and learn. To be fair, he already gained a little combat experience last week with all the crimes he encountered but it was something basic like dodge, block, and hit hard and fast. He could watch a martial arts tutorial video but it requires more than just watching a video and copying moves in order to learn. Martial arts are broad and vary from styles, movement, and practice. Hachiman may be a fast learner but that doesn't mean he can be a combat master just from watching.

"Onii-chan..." Komachi called him and he removed the earphone in his right.

"Yeah?"

"What is that?" She pointed to the TV which is showing security footage of the incident last night but the footage was all blurry and glitching so his face can't be seen clearly but for the little sister, she figured it was him since that's the only convenience store closest to their home. Apparently when that criminal fired two warning shots, one of them hit the security camera and now it was damaged but it still recorded the event. The loner couldn't help but spit his breakfast to her face from shock.

"EWW! GROSS!" The little sister shouted as she wiped her face with a tissue. Hachiman watched the TV with eyes widened and mouth gaped as the footage recorded his actions. From how he knocked out the guy with a motorcycle helmet to his short conversation with that blonde bastard and how he beat up his face. He was lucky that the footage doesn't have sounds or else everyone that watches this would've heard his voice. He slowly moved his eyes to look at her sister, who just stared at him angrily.

"You broke the pinky promise..." She said in a low tone.

"I couldn't help it. They were right there when I was just buying-"

"No excuses." She stood up and opened a drawer. She then walked very slowly to her beloved older brother as she was holding a small transparent plastic container filled with needles.

"U-umm, my cute sister, what is that for?"

"Swallow a thousand needles if you lie..."

"That song was just a metaphor! it wasn't meant to seriously do it!"

"But you broke your promise! And this time those guys have guns! Can't you just think about what would happen to you if you messed that up!"

"I did, but that's not an excuse to just sit there and do nothing." He said with a serious tone.

"...You just don't understand..." She looked down and mumbled. "You don't understand how much pain..."

"Pain? Well, yeah I took a lot of hits throughout the week but I can take it."

"That's not what I meant..." And then there was silence. Hachiman doesn't get what his little sister was talking about but he knew it was something serious. He looked at the video he was watching, contemplating if he really knew what he was getting into but stopped for a moment as he looked at the time in his phone.

"We're gonna be late." He said it nonchalantly as if he didn't care if he was late but moved quickly regardless. Komachi hesitated for a moment and then followed her brother.

"I hope you're a fast runner." He said to her as he opened the front door.

"Eh?"

"I lost my bike, remember?" He said and she stared at him blankly for a few seconds until she realized what he meant.

"EEEH!? I'M GONNA BE LATE FOR THE FIRST TIME?!"

* * *

Ten minutes until the first period starts. Hachiman made it in time as he was standing in front of the entrance slightly panting until he took a deep breath and regained his calm demeanor. The loner realized that he's not as tired as he was used to be when he first ran to school. That's because he gained a slight increase in stamina over the past week from fighting and running away. While walking, he took out his phone and put on his earphones to watch that video again to study the mentor's movements as he punched a punching bag.

_"-so if you want to increase your punching power, you gotta hit not push. What I mean by that is don't push the bag, you actually need to contract so what I mean is you HIT into the bag, and you squeeze and you create a sharp shock and that shock will make the bag jolt, it will jump out. Don't try to lean in, hit the bag and push it because it doesn't increase your power but it only increases your push-"_

Hachiman held his chin when the mentor finished his first trick to increase punching power. The loner thought that by pushing his fist deep in the bad guy's gut, it would have a more devastating blow and that was he had been doing this whole time but it turned out that it had the opposite effect. Contract, squeeze, relax; These words kept repeating inside his mind until he fully understood what the mentor was saying. It's not about sinking his fist in someone's body, it's about giving a strong impact on the opponent's body. His thoughts were interrupted by a painful pinch on his side.

"AW! Aw aw aw!" The loner looked at his side to see who that was and he saw none other than Minami wearing an angry expression while staring at him. He removed one of his earphones and spoke.

"Good morning. Is this how you greet someone?" He asked as he rubbed the spot where he was pinched. It seriously felt like her fingernails pierced his skin.

"...Talk. Just the two of us. Lunchtime." That was all she said before she walked faster and left him behind. He wondered what made her angry all of a sudden. Was it because of their "date"? Or did he miss something that he wasn't aware of? It was no use thinking about it so he continued to walk to his shoe locker and decided to wait for lunchtime for her explanation. He went back on the videos he had downloaded and watched one of them. The videos are all tutorials such as how to take down someone bigger than you, and how to kick faster and harder with a weaker leg. He was so focused on the video that his body went on auto-pilot mode as he opened the locker and took his shoes out without noticing the letters inside the locker. Those letters weren't important, just some death threats and pranks.

Before he even realized it, he already sat on his seat while still watching the video, only for a chalk to be thrown at his head.

"I said to put away your cellphones!" The teacher said angrily. The class sneered at him but he didn't care.

* * *

"Were you watching a video? What's it about?" Totsuka asked Hachiman in wonder. It's now lunchtime and he was still in his seat while Totsuka and surprisingly Kawasaki are standing close to him.

"It's nothing, really. Just about that incident at the convenience store." He said it while closing his eyes and waving his hand.

"You mean about that 'Isato' guy? It is getting trending around Japan." Kawasaki said while putting a hand on her waist.

"I saw the news! That guy was really brave when he went up against those motor gang." Totsuka said excitedly. The loner wondered why the world is cruel to make Totsuka male. He may start to believe God doesn't exist and if He does, He's probably dead to him.

"So, are you feeling better now? I don't see any bandages on you." Kawasaki asked with her usual serious face. He already removed the bandages in his body and in his right hand since they're fully healed, but the left hand that got stabbed in his first attempted rape encounter is still there. It is healing but a lot longer than expected since he kept getting into fights. A lot of students and teachers noticed his right hand have scars which were due to him blocking and taking the knife away from the thief. An hour ago, Hiratsuka called out to Hachiman to meet her in the guidance office after school. Most likely, to ask the truth about his injuries. The loner is now feared by other students as some sort of delinquent and many wondered why someone like him is still attending this school.

"Yeah, a week of doing nothing and my hand and cheek is perfectly healed. As for my other hand..."

"Are you left-handed? You shouldn't move that hand too much." Kawasaki said.

"I'm a normal right-handed teenager but yeah I shouldn't move it or else I might go see a doctor and get recommended for amputation." He said sarcastically while smirking.

"Mou~ Please don't say that with a cool attitude. I might think that could really happen." Totsuka pouted. Hachiman was about to retort until he felt his ear pulled.

"Aw aw aw aw!" Hachiman looked up to see who it was and of course, it's Minami with her arms folded while holding a bento box covered in cloth. He raised an eyebrow until he remembered what she said this morning.

"Oh, right." He stood up and look back at the two shocked classmates. "Sorry, I have something to do so- GAH!"

He was interrupted by Minami who pulled his arm and dragged him outside.

"Hey, can I at least get Maxx Coffee?" He asked.

"No." she answered quickly and dragged him even further from the classroom. Meanwhile, the students who remained in the classroom including Hayama and his clique, are going crazy from Sagami's action.

"See, I told you they were dating!"

"No way!"

"Sagami-san must be desperate to find a guy, huh?"

"He definitely blackmailed her."

"Or she must be some masochist."

The air in the classroom is filled with rumors and nonsensical speculations from the students. Someone took a photo of the "couple" at that sushi restaurant and it spread like wildfire. Many students are giving both Hikigaya and Sagami the stares and whispers, trying to figure out how did those two got together, yet they didn't even bother trying to ask the "couple" about it and just want to create rumors for the heck of it. Sagami's reputation also got worsen after she decided to hang out with the loner. She isn't bullied by the students, at least not yet. If that ever happens, Sagami already steeled herself that she will endure it as long as she gets to hang out with the Most Hated Man of Sobu.

While others are just blabbering random speculations, Hayama and Yuigahama think otherwise. They both knew that the loner and the former 2nd most popular girl didn't talk anymore after the Athletics Festival so they wondered what exactly made those two interact with each other again. Yuigahama thought that Sagami decided to talk to Hikigaya because she wanted to make up for him. Hayama, on the other hand, thought that it could really be related to the loner's injuries. The Prince doesn't have much solid information about those injuries but he can tell that they were from something serious and not some cooking accident. He might have to ask Hikigaya after school or tomorrow. He's starting to worry that the loner might actually become a delinquent or that there are people here that bullies him without any restraint.

"What d'ya think, Hayato?" Tobe asked him excitedly.

"Hmmm...I don't know. I don't want to speculate." he answered with the usual fake smile.

"Oh, come on Hayato. Just guess one. It won't hurt anybody." Miura said to him with puppy eyes. He contemplated for a bit and decided to tell them his speculation.

"Maybe it's something about his injuries? Y'know she started talking to him after he got those, right?"

"Ah, then he must've got them from her!" Tobe said it too loudly.

"Eh? What makes you say that?" Yuigahama asked while her head tilted in confusion.

"Well, maybe he's protecting her like he's her princess or something." Yamato suggested.

"What? Like 'Isato'? Hard to imagine Hikitani acting like a hero." Ooka laughed.

"Yeah! People might see him as the bad guy after he saved them. Like, come on~! With those eyes?" Tobe said while trying to imitate the loner's expressions and everyone laughed.

Meanwhile, Totsuka is worried that Hikigaya is being treated even worse and that he doesn't deserve such treatment. The cute tennis player knows better that the loner is a nice person and he's just socially awkward. That is not an excuse for these people to label Hikigaya as a creep. None of them know the real Hikigaya Hachiman. At the same time, Totsuka is glad there is someone who acknowledged his good side. At first, he was worried that Sagami still hated the loner and decided she was planning on getting revenge but he was relieved that it wasn't the case. She is hanging out with the loner a lot more after he got dismissed from the Service Club which Totsuka is still wondering why he was expelled there. He asked Yuigahama and she said that Hikigaya was a lost cause to them so they decided to get rid of him. That confuses the cute tennis player but now he's more worried that the "couple" would be bullied. He looked at Kawasaki and she looked mad at their classmates for spreading rumors.

"They're starting to piss me off." The blue-haired girl said.

"It's frustrating but I think Hachiman and Sagami-san won't be bothered."

"It doesn't matter. These idiots are making fun of them just for the hell of it." She gritted her teeth.

"It's okay. Hachiman is doing fine, that's what matters." Totsuka reassured Kawasaki. They want to stop these rumors but they can't because rumors are uncontrollable. Totsuka is popular so he could try to shut down some of the rumors yet he can only do so much. Frustrating yes, but as the cute tennis player said, what matters is that Hachiman is doing fine.

* * *

Hachiman was still being dragged by the arm and he noticed students were staring at them. He isn't bothered by them but what bothered him is that Sagami will be subjected to rumors. The uncontrollable youths of society do not have limits in how ridiculous their blabbering could get. He looked at Minami however he could only see her back but then noticed where they're going.

_Are we going to my secret spot? How did she know where I usually eat?_ The loner wondered until he realized something.

"Hey, can I buy something at the cafeteria. I don't have any food for lunch."

"No." She responded quickly with the same angry tone. The loner is confused about why she's mad. They reached his secret spot and sat down and Minami opened the cloth of her bento box that appears to be too big for one person to eat all of it.

_Don't tell me she made that for me._

"Before we eat, I want to talk to you about something." She said as she is fiddling her phone as if she's finding something.

"Okay, as long as you stop being angry at me." He said and now her phone screen is in front of his face showing the footage of that robbery.

"That's you, right?" She said as she pointed at "Isato" in the footage.

"How did you know that was me?" He asked in shock.

"I don't know anyone else who's stupid yet brave enough to beat down these bastards. Besides," She pointed something above her head. "There is only one person I know who can do that with a certain something on his head."

The loner put his hand above his head to find whatever the girl was talking about and actually got a hold of something; His ahoge. He looked back at the footage and noticed that even though it was blurry, someone could see the ahoge on top of his head if he/she looked close enough.

"So what are you mad about? Those guys that tried to rape you are done for thanks to me so what gives? " He asked.

"What gives? You were in danger! What if it ended differently?! You might've gotten yourself screwed!" She asked angrily while leaning forward to close the distance of their face. Minami realized that but she didn't care, she was worried about him.

"Yeah, but I stopped them and everyone's happy. That's a good ending, right?"

"That's not what I...Don't you understand the consequences?"

"I do; I or someone else might get hurt if I messed up but I'm glad I didn't."

"I don't think you do." She mumbled while closing her eyes. They both heard the sound of a stomach grumbling. The loner looked down on his stomach while she just stared at him and sighed.

"Looks like you're hungry."

"Yeah, so can I go to the cafeteria now?"

"Oh, come one you know why I brought you here without letting you buy anything. I know you're not that dumb." She said as she folded her arms.

"Did you seriously make a bento for me?"

"Not for you, for both of us. We're going to share it." She said and opened the bento box to reveal simple egg rolls, chicken fillet, some sliced tomatoes and rice that has an orange color. He noticed that her hands have small bandages on them.

_This is her first time cooking? And it's for both of us..._

"Stop staring and let's eat already." She said as she handed him chopsticks and grabbed her own.

"Come on, try it." The brown-haired girl reached the bento to the loner and he complied. He used the chopsticks to grab the chicken and had a bite of it and then took some rice.

"H-how is it?"

"Hmm... It's not bad but the chicken is sort of bland and the rice has too many things going on with the flavors."

"Eh? Really?"

"Yeah," He picked up an eggroll and ate it along with a piece of tomato. "The egg rolls are nice and it blends well with the fresh tomatoes. Yeah, the real problem is the rice and chicken."

"Seriously?..." She said while looking dejected. She used her chopstick to pick up the rice and chicken and taste them. "I think I put too much sauce."

"Maybe, but we should also look at the other ingredients you put in there." He suggested and she nodded. They're now discussing Minami's problem with her homemade bento while eating it. Hachiman is a decent cook since he used to cook dinner for him and Komachi when they were kids because their parents were still at work most of the time. Now, Komachi is the one cooking their food but Hachiman still has his cooking skills. It felt nice for the loner to having a conversation with someone as kind as Minami. He still isn't sure if she has a crush on him, His previous assumption on Yuigahama's feelings tell otherwise of his analysis. But he does acknowledge the brown-haired girl as a friend. It takes more than one "date" to push the King of Loners' heart.

"You're really brave..." Minami suddenly mumbled while looking at her bento.

"What's that all of a sudden?"

"Well, you risked your life to help people."

_My life?_ The loner thought.

"They could really kill you, y'know? But you weren't scared when they pointed the gun at you nor when you got stabbed by a knife. It's normal for people to be scared of all of that but hey since when are you normal? What I'm saying is... you're so...cool." She said that last word quietly in embarrassment. She looked away to hide her blush while eating the last egg roll. Meanwhile, Hachiman contemplated on what she said. Slowly, he started to realize what she and his worried sister meant.

_"...You just don't understand...You don't understand how much pain..."_

_"What if it ended differently?! You might've gotten yourself screwed!"_

Hachiman definitely knew what would happen if he screwed up. He was aware of the consequences but what he didn't fully understand is how heavy those consequences were. At first, his thoughts of said consequences were in a simple concept structure; If he acts, he stops bad guys. If he doesn't, people will suffer along with him. If he acts and succeeds, good ending for everyone. If he acts and fails, bad ending for many. Such a simple concept that it is easy for a child to follow the process. However, this only covers the surface level of the loner's actions and what they will bring.

Death.

An end of life, the true exit from this world, a phenomenon that scares all humans, including our protagonist. The reason why he never thought about it was that he was too focused on saving people, fighting bad guys and being chased by said bad guys. Help, save, protect; these words filled his mind when he encountered something like this, and after saving the day he's exhausted but glad that innocent people were okay. He was aware that butting into trouble would cost his life, like when he encountered those thieves and one of them has a knife, and also that same blonde criminal during their first encounter. He said to himself that he would be dead if he got one fatal hit from that sharp weapon. However, the word "death" didn't strike his head until now. The word itself, he knew and it feared him but what he didn't register was the meaning of "death" and the weight behind it.

Right now, he fully understood that his life would've ended in his serious crime encounters. Not only is Hachiman thinking about his death but other consequences as well. if he failed, Minami would get raped or they both got killed. He would get shot by the robbers and the stolen money and valuables would be lost. His family and "acquaintances" (he doesn't view them as friends yet) would grieve to his death and suffer emotionally. And if he failed, he would bear a very heavy responsibility of the consequences of his actions. A responsibility that is beyond a normal teenager's capabilities.

Hikigaya Hachiman is not a superhero nor some supernatural being, he's just a normal human being who is still going through high school.

"Hikigaya? Hikigaya." Minami called out to the loner. He spaced out when he was contemplating of his actions.

"...I almost died..." He mumbled.

"Eh?"

"...I almost got myself killed, didn't I?" He is not traumatized or anything but his fear of the consequences is spreading in his mind. he covered his mouth and his eyes widened from his realization.

_"Helping someone out is not a justifiable reason for you to get hurt"_

Hiratsuka's words at the cultural festival replayed in his mind over and over again as he slowly understood what his homeroom teacher meant by that. Meanwhile, Minami looked at him in worry.

"Yeah... you almost did." She mumbled. " And I doubt you'd stop even after you realized that, wouldn't you?"

"...No, I won't stop." He said as he removed his hand from his mouth. "If I'm needed, I won't stop."

The brown-haired girl sighed to that but then she noticed something that made her eyes widened. She heard that he is a smart guy but very lazy and stoic at some classes and the Service Club. She did see that attitude when she first saw him with Yuigahama at the Fireworks Festival. His rotten eyes gave it away of at least some of his true nature but it was mixed with mere speculation and poor judgment on her part. Right now, she couldn't see all that laziness nor stoic in his dead-fish eyes. In fact, his eyes don't look like a dead fish right now! They look normal as his pupils grew as big as what a normal human eye looks like. Keep in mind that Hachiman wasn't born with rotten eyes. They were normal during his childhood but in late middle school, his eyes turned rotten after being bullied by perhaps the entire school. So what that means is that his eyes can turn into normal but it never occurred... until now that is. And Minami has the honor to be the first high school girl to see such a sight. To her, his eyes were filled with passion and determination telling her that he will truly not stop in helping others even if he understands the consequences.

"Sagami? Oi, Sagami?" The loner called out to her aaaannndd his eyes went back to their usual rottenness but witnessing his "transformation" was a sight to behold for the brown-haired maiden.

"E-eh? What?" She said as she was out of her trance.

"Are you okay?"

"U-umm yeah, I'm fine." And that ended their conversation. The "couple" ate the bento quietly with the awkward atmosphere still lingered until the bell rang

* * *

"So...Where did you really get those injuries?" Hiratsuka asked the loner with seriousness in her eyes. The teacher and student are alone in the faculty room because apparently the guidance office is currently unavailable for reasons she won't tell. The rest of the teachers either went home or busy doing the work as club advisors.

"I told you it's from a failed cooking attempt. I accidentally cut myself when chopping some ingredients." He said indifferently.

"Oh come on! Even all of that, you still won't budge!?" She shouted and clutched her head and repeatedly banged her head on the desk. This is actually the umpteenth time that she asked about those injuries since he came here. She tried everything to convince the loner; offering cans of Maxx Coffee, cook him her signature stir-fried meat and bean sprouts covered in meat sauce, bribing him, and even offering her treasured manga collection which she valued so much that she hid it under the drawer and did the trap thing that Kira used **(1)**. All of that was useless against Hikigaya.

_Just how much does she value her manga? More than her alcohol?_ The loner thought while sighing. Hiratsuka stopped banging her head and stomped her feet on her desk, surprising and then she pointed her finger at him.

"I have no choice! Then, as a woman, I will allow you to date me if you tell me the truth!"

"I already told you the truth."

"Geh! You still lie even though I used my trump card?!"

"You offering yourself was the trump card?"

"What?... You got a problem with dating me?" She said in a low tone.

"No, just act your age and maybe I'll-" He was interrupted by a fist coming at his gut and redirect it in time with his hand.

"Hoh? So you blocked that one. How many times I've told you not to mention a young lady's age."

"Yes...I'm sorry." He said while grunting in pain as his hand hurts from that punch. He was glad that he watched a video on how to block punches.

"So my hunch was right, you are getting into fights." She said while sitting back at her station.

"What makes you say that?".

"The fact that you got those injuries, got unusually more stamina than others during PE and blocked my punch; it's obvious."

"OR I got these from a cooking accident, got stamina from running back and forth between school and home since my bike is gone, and I'm used to your punch that I blocked it."

"Hmm... Whatever you say. When I find out the truth you'll have some explaining to do." She said as she crossed her legs. Hikigaya was surprised that even his homeroom teacher can't figure out his identity as "Isato" and Sagami was the first to find out about his "vigilante" actions. He then wondered if the older Yukinoshita daughter already found out or maybe that prince charming did. Speaking of Yukinoshita, he wondered how she and Yuigahama are going after his expulsion to the club. He never talked nor approach to either of them since then. Yuigahama started treating the loner poorly though she only talked badly about him behind his back. Yukinoshita on the other hand, well didn't bump into each other so for now he-.

"Excuse me." His thoughts were interrupted by the sliding of the door and the voice from the Ice Queen herself. She formed a scowl towards the loner while he just raised his eyebrow.

"I'm here to return the key." Yukinoshita walked towards them and handed the homeroom teacher the key to the clubroom.

"Oh, okay. See ya tomorrow." Hiratsuka waved at her goodbye and the Ice Queen walked away before stopping. She turned around to look at Hikigaya with the same scowl on her face.

"By the way, Hikigarbage-kun. The contest isn't over yet, even if we've dismissed you from the club." And then she left.

"She's still hung up on that? Don't bother Hikigaya, it won't do you any good to dwell into her taunts. Besides the Service Club is getting a little more clients after you left so you don't stand a chance." Hiratsuka said while folding her arms.

"What contest?" The loner asked.

"Eh? That contest that you both accepted, remember?" She asked and he shook his head in response. At first, she thought he was lying just to hide his anger or any negative emotion towards Yukinoshita but he is actually confused. That's because Hikigaya had a genuinely good time in the Service Club that he seriously forgot about the contest.

"You know, whoever helped the most people wins?"

"...Oh, that?"

"You seriously forgot?"

"Meh, so what? Besides I'm not so petty to compete with her for revenge so tell her that I forfeit." He said while waving his hand indicating he truly doesn't care about a silly contest. _And I helped more people than her in a different way. Besides, how are we supposed to score points anyway?_

"Okay, you can go home but don't think that our discussion is over." The homeroom teacher stood up and packed her things while Hikigaya stared at her until he spoke.

"Hey, sensei."

"What?"

"I was wondering why your punches are so terrifyingly strong for someone as pretty as you. What's your secret?"

"I told you not to call- wait what did you just call me?" She blushed at that. What he said was half true. He is curious about her absurd strength but not only because of her beautiful appearance, and he DID admit numerous times that he would marry her if no one else will (If he would actually do that), but the real reason was to learn more combat. The videos he watched were useful but it is more helpful if he asked someone with experience.

"I'm serious sensei, both strong and pretty at the same time. It's starting to bother me. I might as well just speculate you've been using some sort of drug to increase your strength while still looking more beautiful by the day...what?" He looked at her while pretending to look confused.

"Flattery won't get you nowhere! Ahem! But if you insist. I'll tell you the secret of my power." She said with a grin while her cheeks are blushing like crazy.

_Wow, she's actually that easy to mess with unless she's only pulling my leg here._

"It's a really simple trick past down from the Hiratsuka bloodline so be grateful."

"Yeah, yeah..."

"So, the most important thing of punching is utilizing your entire body to let out your max physical prowess." She posed her fighting stance. "Bend your knees first, then relax your muscles. No need to keep them tense, you would just tire yourself out even before you make a move. close your hand tightly into a fist but not so much that you tense your muscle."

She then performed a straight punch in the air.

"See how my body moves? It started with the legs, then turned my hips and go for the hit. Easy, right?" She said as she stood straight from her fighting stance and picked up her bag.

"Too easy. Are you sure that's all it takes?" The loner asked while folding his arms.

"Sometimes the best answer is the least interesting one." She said and walked away with a smug as if this is some sort of cool anime moment for her. Yes, Hiratsuka Shizuka, the attractive Christmas cake is a shounen fanatic. Maybe not to the point of being a chuunibyou but it's up there. Unfortunately for this beautiful teacher, Hikigaya ruined it.

"It doesn't make you look cool and you just rip off a quote from an anime."

"Geh! You really don't know how to read a woman's heart."

"This and that are different. I'm just teaching you how to be a proper lady for your age-" At this point, Hikigaya didn't realize what he was saying and the consequence behind it. Before he could finish the sentence he noticed an incoming fist to his stomach but he couldn't block it in time.

* * *

**Few days later 3:00 PM**

Only a few days left until the Kyoto trip and our protagonist is currently done buying his necessities for the trip. His group is almost complete with 4 members joined; Himself, Sagami, Totsuka, Kawasaki. Only one member left although he bet Hiratsuka wouldn't mind a group lacking one member. Some things still lingered on the loner's mind such as the police officials not interrogating him about the "Isane" case although it was resolved after the other two criminals (aka the robbers) were arrested. The police also found evidence of their parents using illegal drugs and now they were also arrested and charged. An entire nuclear family being sent to prison. Another thing that comes to Hachiman's mind was Minami. His relationship with her is still puzzling for him. The possibility of her falling in love with him is getting higher every time they hang out but he still felt doubtful about her feelings. He doesn't want to be..."hopeful" to say the least. Plus, he doesn't know how he feels towards her. The progression with their bond is moving too quickly for the loner to register everything they've been doing together. However, one thing is for sure...

...that Sagami Minami is his true friend. So far, his days are going smoothly with no problems whatsoever. Yes, even though both he and Minami are being bullied by some students, to which he gave most of the males a not-so-pleasant return and that got him suspended until the day before the trip, things are looking fine.

"GAAAHHH!"

Well almost.

"You son of a-" The delinquent was interrupted by an uppercut to his chin and then got punched in the gut. His head was pulled up and got headbutted followed by a straight punch in the face.

"Gggghh..." The delinquent fell to the ground as he grunted in pain and couldn't move. Hachiman panted while wiping some sweat in his cheek. His black hoodie with an open zipper, a white plain shirt, and jeans are all covered in dust.

How did he get in this situation, you ask? Let's rewind the clock for about a few minutes.

...

He was just walking his way home with a plastic bag after buying what he needed for the school trip until he heard something strange in a closed roll shutter restaurant. He heard a faint sound of glasses and fragile objects breaking. It was unheard by the rest of the passers-by since he was a lot closer to the restaurant than them.

"It sounds like someone is trashing the place." Mumbled the loner. He leaned his ear on the roll shutter and listened carefully to the sounds inside the restaurant.

"Hahaha, This restaurant is shit but at least there's something fun to do here!"

"Yeah, like breaking their stuff."

"Please stop!" A man was heard begging for the intruders to stop. "I'll give you money so-"

The man was cut off by grunting in pain. Most likely one of the intruders hit the poor man.

"Money? We just want to trash this place because of how shitty your service was. And your damn niece did this to me so this is payback" One of them spoke angrily. Hachiman didn't listen further since he already registered what was going on.

He searched for a way in until he found the back entrance in an alley between the restaurant and another building. His suspicions were confirmed as the door was open and some bolts and screws are on the ground indicating that someone broke into this establishment. He entered and found that he's in the kitchen then he went towards the source of that noise and found five delinquents trashing the tables, decorations, and walls. There is a couple that looks like they're in their 40s just sitting at a table and they appeared to be the owners since they're the only ones there besides the intruders and they're wearing a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, and red aprons. The male owner with a shaved head had his face full of bruises and blood dripping on his nose. The woman with hazelnut ponytail could only watch in tears as their restaurant was being ravaged.

The loner sneaked in and hid under the counter as he searched for things that could help him and he saw a bucket full of liquid detergent and a mop inside. He pulled out his cellphone and fiddled with it until he saw what he needed. He propped his head up and saw that the delinquents were too distracted in destroying furniture and talking to each other. That was his chance. He slid the cellphone on the floor into the front entrance as it plays a very loud tune, gaining all of the people in this room's attention.

"What the?" Hachiman saw that three of the delinquents walked towards the cellphone while two are just staring at them.

_Here goes._ He picked up the bucket and grabbed the mop. He splashed the liquid on the floor without them noticing. One of the two intruders who just stared heard it and turned around, only to be met with a bucket thrown at his face. Hachiman quickly ran towards him.

_Bend your knees! Clutch into a fist! Turn your hips! And then contract! _He punched the delinquent in the gut as he followed what his homeroom teacher said to him and the video he watched. He followed up with a bash to the head using the other end of the mop.

"Hey!" The three who approached the cellphone saw the commotion and were about to run towards them but they slipped and fell due to the liquid detergent. The three delinquents didn't notice the floor being slippery until it was too late. While they were occupied on keeping their balance and clutching their heads from the fall, Hachiman went for the other guy across the small table as he kicked it forward and hit the delinquent's lower abdomen. Then he reached for his head, banged it on the table then swung the wooden tip of the mop at the side of his head.

_Two down, three to go._ The loner noticed too late that one of the slipped delinquents ran towards him and got tackled to the ground. As he lay his back on the ground, the delinquent on top of him tried to punch his face but the loner raised his arm to block. Suddenly the delinquent is being grappled in a chokehold by the man who worked here.

"Leave him alone!" He shouted. Hachiman noticed another delinquent charging at them with a bottle of wine. Hachiman took a plate on a nearby table and threw it at his face.

"GAAAHHH!"He screamed in pain while the loner ran towards him but the delinquent noticed so he swung the wine bottle. The loner ducked and then..

"You son of a-" The delinquent was interrupted by an uppercut to his chin and then got punched in the gut. His head was pulled up and got headbutted followed by a straight punch in the face.

"Gggghh..." The delinquent fell to the ground as he grunted in pain and couldn't move. Hachiman panted while wiping some sweat in his cheek.

And that's how our protagonist got here.

"Bastard. Sticking your nose into someone's business." The last delinquent standing said with a scowl as the owner put the choked delinquent unconscious. The last delinquent is wearing a cap, a simple white T-shirt and jeans. He is holding a cloth-wrapped, 23-inch long object. The loner guessed that it could be a shinai (wooden sword used for practicing kendo) but his guess was shattered when the delinquent unwrapped the cloth and revealed it to be an actual sheathed katana.

"Eh?!" Both the male owner and Hachiman gasped and that earned the delinquent a smirk.

"Heh, surprised? I'm the best player in my kendo club but it got boring for me so I want to try my skills with a real sword for fun."

"Just for fun? You trashed their restaurant not only just to get this 'revenge' on their niece but to practice your stupid kendo?!" The loner shouted.

"Shut up! Just stand still so I'll kill all of you. My old man is rich so he'll find a way to clean my mess. So just do me a favor and die already."

_"Shut up! Just stand still so I'll kill you. My old man is rich so he'll find a way to clean my mess. So just do me a favor and die already."_

The delinquent's eyes widened when he heard the sound of his voice recorded. He looked to the source and saw the woman holding her cellphone and then put it close to her ear.

"Did you get all of that officer?"

"Yes, please hang in there for one minute. The police will arrive shortly."

"WHAT?!" The delinquent couldn't help but shout in surprise and anger. The moment her husband jumped in to help the young hero, she ran towards one of the drawers to pick up a secondary cellphone since her main one was destroyed by one of the delinquents. She used the cellphone to do two things; one was to call the police, and the second was to record their conversation. Isn't it great how technology advances? Anyway, with the evidence in the female owner's hand and with the police hearing their conversation, the delinquent is guaranteed to be sent to prison even with his father's wealth.

"Damn you!" He charged preparing for a frontal strike towards the woman but the husband step in front of her timed his dodge by moving to the side. He then closed their distance and grabbed the delinquent's wrist to prevent him from swinging the katana, and then the male owner punched his side following up with a left hook right in the face. The delinquent let go of one hand from the katana and punched the owner's face. The husband stepped back from the pain that made him let go of his wrist.

He then noticed a blade coming to his right face and ducked only to be kneed in the face and get a thrust kick to the gut and fell on the floor. The loner threw a chair at the katana-wielder but he sliced it in half. Hachiman didn't waste a moment as he tried to punch his face but the delinquent saw that and tilted his head to dodge. The young hero dodged one swing after another with some of them grazed his left cheek and then his right forearm which blood came out. The delinquent performed a downward slash and he evaded to the side. The delinquent quickly did a sideward slash to his face but Hachiman blocked it by catching his wrist while blocking the blade with his left forearm. The loner couldn't help it due to the distance and it resulted in the katana blade digging deep into his forearm and it's bleeding. He resisted the pain and stomped the delinquent's foot, then let go of his wrist to follow up with a right elbow strike to the gut, left knee to the face and then swung a left kick to the side.

"Gah!" The delinquent lost his grab on the katana as the pain took over. The loner wasted no time and grabbed the katana before it fell into the ground. He hit the delinquent's head with the katana's pommel and did a thrust kick to his stomach as he tumbled but landed on his knees. The loud sirens were heard from outside.

"Took them long enough." Hachiman said with a tired tone. He could've called the police before he entered the restaurant but he just wants to look at the situation first before taking any action and well...He did see the situation but he went in and fought the criminals on instinct.

"Damn it!" The now unarmed delinquent decided to run away but he failed to notice one mistake. He landed right next to the male owner.

"Oh no, you don't!" The moment he stood up and tried to run, The male owner quickly jumped at him and both fell with the owner on top. The husband grabbed his neck with the left hand while preparing his fist for a punch with the right. The delinquent struggled until he hit the male owner's wrist as if he was knocking on a door. This made the owner lose his grip and the delinquent grabbed his wrist and forcefully put it on the owner's abdomen and clutched his back. Then he wrapped his leg over the owner's feet and rolled sideways and the delinquent is now on top of him and proceeds to punch his genitals and then his gut. He quickly to stood up and ran towards the room where the back entrance is.

Hachiman tried to stop him with a straight punch but The cap-wearing intruder saw that as he bent his head backward then grabbed his arm to do a single back throw.

"Gah!" The loner was plummeted with his back and grunted in pain. The delinquent tried to approach the woman to take her hostage but it was too late as police officers appeared from the kitchen and pointed their guns at him.

"Freeze! You're under arrest!"'

The delinquent had no choice but to raise his hands to surrender. While the police are busy arresting him, the woman ran towards her husband to check if he's okay.

"Yusuke! Yusuke!"

"I'm...fine! Check the kid if he's alright." They both looked at the loner who couldn't move due to that judo throw with other police officers approached him.

"Can you stand up?" One of the officers asked.

"Yeah...give me a second." Hachiman lifted his head then his upper body but he is struggling with the pain. The officers helped him to get up on his feet and he told them to let go.

"Okay...I'm good."

"You were crazy back there," The male owner spoke and the loner turned to see the couple approach him with the woman supporting her husband by putting his arm over her shoulders. "but thanks for the help kid."

"No problem. But your restaurant..." He looked around to see all the damaged the intruders caused. Decorations were ruined and some furniture and glasses were broken into pieces. They showed no mercy to the poor couple's establishment.

"It's fine," The woman said. "What matters is that we're all safe and those guys are going to jail."

"But he said that his dad is rich. He might come back." Hachiman said in worry.

"That won't happen." They look to see the female officer with long brown hair and olive-green eyes.

"It's you." He said.

"Yup, and here I thought we won't be able to see each other again. Now, question time."

The female officer interrogated them. The couple said that these delinquents met their niece and tried to flirt with her. She was actually lucky that she got away. Then next thing they knew, those delinquents were in the same school as her and then bullied her until it was reported to the faculty, resulted in expulsion for them. So they went here to the girl's family restaurant that she was so proud of boasting and trashed it as revenge.

"Those guys don't know restraint." The loner mumbled.

"Yeah, but I bet this is the last time we saw those bastards. His father may be rich enough to get him out of jail but this time it won't happen.

"This time?"

"This isn't his first crime, unfortunately. A lot of cases such as rape, selling illegal drugs, robberies, and suspected to have murdered some people. His father paid all the charges against him but this he can't because his company is getting close to bankruptcy and he had grown tired of spoiling him." The female officer explained.

_I guess his attitude is from poor parenting. I understand the guy but it's not an excuse to commit these crimes._ Hachiman thought.

"Well let's get you all to an ambulance to treat those injuries." She said as she guided them outside. Hachiman realized late that this is the same sushi restaurant that both he and Minami went once.

"Hey, kid." Yusuke called the loner. "What's your name?"

"...Hikigaya Hachiman."

"I knew I've seen you before."

"Yeah, I ate here a week ago with someone. We ordered those foods for couples but we didn't know that until they gave it to us."

"Yeah, you two were hilarious to watch." The couple laughed while Hachiman sighed.

"I'm Isehara Yusuke and this is my wife, Isehara Mihara."

The loner froze at that. Isehara is a surname that he remembered all too well.

"Ise...hara?" He asked just to make sure he heard it right.

"Yeah, nice to meet you kid." Yusuke grinned and reached out his hand for a handshake. Hachiman hesitated for a few seconds until he smiled back and held his hand.

"Hey, hurry up!" The female officer shouted at them as the ambulance arrived. The loner walked quickly leaving the couple behind.

"Hikigaya...Hikigaya..." Mihara mumbled.

"Something about his name?" Her husband asked.

"I think he was that boy who went to the same elementary school that my sister worked at."

"Your sister was a teacher there, right? So he was one of her students?"

"Yes...and I heard that there was a child being bullied in her homeroom class but she didn't do anything to stop it and that led to being fired from that school."

"All just to protect her daughter from being punished by the school."

"...The boy became a strong kind man." She said with a warm smile.

"...Yeah, but his eyes looked rotten. And did you see how he reacted when we told our names? He looked shocked and I can tell a fake smile when I see one." Yusuke said as he looked at the loner in worry.

"I hope his life didn't get worse in high school." She said with the same worried expression.

* * *

**(1) Death Note reference**

Thank you for reading this story. Please leave a review as your opinions will help me make this story better.


	4. Chapter 4: His Own Version of Youth

Hello everyone! Back with another chapter of this story. Things are really getting serious around the world with the whole COVID-19 stuff. All I want to say is to stay healthy and keep calm. Don't panic and do NOT BUY A SHIT TON TOILET PAPERS. Seriously, what are those guys gonna do with those?

Anyway, Be brave everyone. I'm still gonna write my stories despite the seriousness of the situation so that none of you will be bored if some of you readers are on lockdown or in self-isolation. I could do something better but I don't have the ability to help you all aside from this. Pray that everyone will be safe.

Good news for anime fans, Oregairu season 3 will be released in April! I'm so excited but sad at the same time because that will be the final season of the anime series. But I'm happy regardless.

Now on to the reviews!

_Guest 1: Not gonna lie, I kinda forgot about that. Sorry for my mistake._

_Guest 2: It's okay if you don't like it although I do appreciate constructive criticism as to why this didn't suit your preference._

_jargax: I agree with you. I want to develop their relationship more while balancing the action. I'll try my best!_

_Malypyon: NormalOP. Although it depends on the characters and how they are portrayed with their flaws._

_ThatGuyYouMet: 1) Eh, probably. 2) I came up with a reason but I don't think the timing is right. You have to wait and see! 3) I would like to try that kind of crossover but for this story? I don't think so. Thank you for your suggestions!_

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Oregairu series as they are respectfully owned by the author and animation studio

* * *

_Somewhere at the park _

"_Hikifroggy!" A little boy called out the other's nickname. The one known as "Hikifroggy" looked at the little boy in fear. He was just drawing a black cat, just sleeping under the bench as part of the outdoor activity given by their teacher until the boy called him. He didn't know why he was given such a nickname. Was it his appearance? He looked normal, like everyone else. Did he do something that gave him the nickname? He didn't know, he was just being himself like usual unless that was the problem. He was being targeted by bullies without realizing it until they started vandalizing his desk with writings and glue. _

"_What d-do you want?" The victim asked in a tired but scared tone. _

"_I was just drawing a frog at the fountain, but it hopped away. I was half done too. Mind helping me with this?" The boy asked with a smirk while his companions snickered as they grabbed "Hikifrog"'s arms. _

"_H-hey! Let me-!" The victim tried to break free from their hold but it was useless. He dropped his head down only for one of his companions to grab his hair and lift his head up. _

"_Hold still and show your face! He can't draw if you keep messing around." They all laughed at that while the victim is tearing up. _

"_Hey you better hurry. I don't want to get the Hikigerms." _

"_Ssshhhh! I'm concentrating. It's hard to draw a face this stupid." _

_... _

"_Alright everyone, open your books on page 40." The teacher said while grabbing a chalk and write some numbers on the wall. The "Hikifrog" turned his book and followed the teacher's lectures. He is smart when it comes to other subjects but math is the only thing that he is having trouble with. He stopped reading for a moment and noticed a pencil dropped on the floor near him. He picked it up and gave it to his female classmate next to him. _

"_Here, you dropped this." He said. _

"_O-oh...uh...you can have it. I have extras." The girl said it nervously while having a look of disgust. The "Hikifrog" was hurt by that but decided to set that aside and just continued paying attention to the math lecture. After an hour, the bell rang which signals the end of the math period. The teacher went out of the classroom and most of the children stood up to talk to their friends. Meanwhile, the "Hikifrog" was still reading the textbook as he tried to understand the math lesson but to no avail. He stopped when he heard the girls whispering about him. _

"_I accidentally dropped my favorite pencil and that Hikifrog picked it up." _

"_Ew! Did you touch it?" _

"_No! I just gave it to him." The girl sighed. "And that was a very cute pencil too..." _

"_Small price to pay. You would've gotten the Hikigerms if you took it." _

"_Just wash it clean and the germs will go bye-bye." _

_The "Hikifrog" stopped listening and stood up to go to the restroom with a sad expression until he got tripped by someone's leg and fell on his face flat. The entire class laughed at him while he stood up and rushed out of the room. _

_... _

_Inside the school gym. _

"_Hah!" He's now playing tennis with his one and only partner nice enough to play with him without complaints. _

_The wall. _

_It's now P.E class and the teacher assigned the class to play tennis by pairs. No one wanted to play with the "Hikifroggy" which he already expected that so he asked the teacher if he can play against a wall because he wasn't feeling well and he thought he might hold his partner back. In his mind, he can already see this becoming an important skill as a countermeasure for things such as playing sports with pairings. _

"_Hikigaya-kun." A female teacher called him. She had a black bob cut hair, and wears a red sports jacket and matching jogging pants. _

"_Isegawa-sensei?" Hikigaya said in a surprised tone. This is Isegawa, their homeroom teacher. "Is there something wrong?" _

"_Yes, there is, what are you doing?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. _

"_Playing tennis..." He answered. _

"_With a wall?" _

"_Yes..." _

"_What about your partner?" _

"_I don't have one." He answered while averting his eyes from her. The homeroom teacher can see that he's lying. She had a look of realization and looked at the boy's face closer. _

"_Then how about you play with me?" Isegawa said while picking up a racket. _

"_Eh?" The boy gasped in confusion by her request. "E-excuse me?" _

"_I said~ why don't you play with me instead of that boring wall?" She repeated with a cheery tone. _

"_Umm...Okay." Hikigaya accepted. "Just one round." _

"_Just one?" The homeroom teacher said in confusion. "Nope! We're playing until the bell rings, come on!" _

"_..." The boy stared at her back as she ran into an open area for them to play. He complied with her request and started serving the ball. The teacher was quite shocked by his skills in tennis since she had seen him only playing by himself most of the time. The first point went to Hikigaya. _

"_Wow, you're really good at this!" Isegawa said enthusiastically. "Are you always this good?" _

"_Uh...I don't know." Hikigaya said nervously. "I just played against the wall, nothing special. And maybe watched a few tennis matches on the sports channel." _

"_That's amazing." She said with a smile. "Then I won't hold back." _

_It's Isegawa's turn to serve which she did and Hikigaya knew immediately that she wasn't kidding. That serve was fast, but he quickly reacted by doing a backhand to the left. This went on until the bell rang with both of them exhausted, although Hikigaya was the most tired with him wiping his sweat with a towel and drinking a bottle of water. _

"_You're really good at tennis." Isegawa approached the boy after talking to his classmates, which they looked at him with disdain. "Are there any sports you good at?" _

"_N-no, just tennis." He answered. _

"_Is that so? Well, let's play again if you didn't get pair up, okay?" The teacher suggested. _

"_Okay," Hikigaya said with a smile. _

_... _

_It's time to go home. Hikigaya packed his things, and he went out of the classroom. He thought about his homeroom teacher and how kind she was. The boy had fun playing with her at tennis despite his exhaustion. He honestly couldn't wait for PE class next week as he finally found a time to genuinely be happy. He walked towards his shoe locker and noticed that his outdoor shoes were gone when he opened it. _

"_Looking for these?" He looked outside of the entrance and saw his classmates with the boy in the middle holding Hikigaya's shoes. _

"_Yes. Please give it back." Hikigaya said to them in a fearful voice._

"_You've been getting along with Isegawa-sensei and it ticked me off." The boy said with a smirk. The others also voiced out their disdain. _

"_Yeah, are you trying to be the teacher's pet or something?" _

"_Oh! Maybe he's trying to get close to Ayase-chan. Y'know, the cute girl in the other class." _

"_Seriously?! Using someone to get a girl, you creeped me out..." _

_Hikigaya didn't know what they were talking about, and he didn't care. He wants to go home as quickly as possible and take care of his little sister since their parents are working late. He kept a calm look and stared at the bullies. _

"_Give them back." He said. _

"_Excuse me?" The boy in the middle asked. _

"_I said give me back my shoes." He repeated. _

"_Hmmm... No way, if you want it, come and get it." They laughed while running away. Hikigaya chased them even if he wore his indoor shoes. He saw them going to the back of their school so he ran as fast as he could to catch up but he was too late. They already tossed the shoes in the dumpster. _

"_Hahahahha. Right where it belongs." The group ran away while Hikigaya opened the dumpster to find his shoes. The problem is he couldn't see them so he tried leaning in deeper but that was a mistake. _

"_Whoa!" The boy fell inside the dumpster and now he's covered in dirt and wasted materials. The smell of garbage is indescribable. He covered his nose from the awful smell and tried to find his shoes. He dug the filthy wastes and found the shoes, unknown to him he's been crying for a while now until he realized it. _

"_How many times have I cried in one day?" _

_... _

_Few Days later in School _

_Another art class, another drawing activity, but this time inside their classroom. The children are drawing on their paper at their respective desks, sketching with pencils and coloring with crayons. Hikigaya is almost done with his drawing, although he doesn't have any confidence in what he drew. He raised his paper to get a better look at it, and he convinced himself to say that his drawing is decent enough. _

"_Let me see..." He gasped and turned his head around to see Isegawa-sensei behind him leaning forward to look at his paper. "Mhm, that's a nice drawing. Who's this?" _

"_My little sister..." The boy said it in his usual nervous tone. "It's us playing video games together." _

"_My, how cute." She complimented his drawing. "What do you think she's doing right now?" _

"_Sleeping. She has a mild fever." He answered. _

"_Oh, I hope she gets well soon. You better work hard as the big brother, okay?" She said as she tapped his shoulder. _

"_Y-yes." He said with a smile but that smile disappeared when he heard whispers from the girls. _

"_Isegawa-sensei touched him! She got the Hikigerms!" _

"_I heard that he's getting close with sensei for a while now. She's in trouble." _

"_Ah! We should warn Ayase-chan or else she might get the Hikigerms too!" _

_He stopped listening as he was drawing a lot faster than usual just so he could get out of the classroom before his classmates catch him. His mind feared that something even worse will happen to him. Hikigaya finished the activity and stood up to give the paper to the homeroom teacher. _

"_I'm finished, sensei." He said while reaching out the paper to her. _

"_Oh, that was quick," Isegawa said as she looked at the drawing and gave him an approving nod. "Umu! It's good." _

"_C-can I go to the restroom?" He asked. _

"_Oh, okay then but hurry up." She said, and the boy ran out of the classroom and into the restroom. He sat on the toilet seat and took deep breaths to calm himself. He wished that his classmates won't do anything to his desk and bag while he was away. He stayed in the restroom even after the bell rang until he felt strong enough to come face-to-face with whatever schemes the classmates came up with. After a few minutes, he stood up and walked out of the restroom and into the classroom. _

"_Oh, Hikigaya. Where were you?" A different teacher asked him as soon as he opened the door. _

"_Restroom." That was all he could answer and the teacher was convinced. _

_... _

_Lunchtime. _

_Everyone is eating their bento while Hikigaya tried to make sense of yet another difficult math lesson until he gave up. He took out his bento from his bag and opened it but before he could eat it, a liquid splashed on his face. It got in his eyes. _

"_AAAHH!" He screamed in pain while others are laughing at him. _

"_Hey, Ayase-chan was right! Sanitizer is super effective on Hikigerms!" _

"_Pour it on his bento. He might've infected the food. Hahahahah!" _

_The bullies poured sanitizer on the food and then on top of Hikigaya's head. He resisted, but it was useless when they restrained his arms. The liquid was unexpectedly cold, and it made the boy shivered while his eyes were still hurting. He thought of who this Ayase person was but when they said about her and Isegawa-sensei, he already connected the dots. He concluded that those two are related. _

"_Ah, it's empty." The bully who held the bottle said with a disappointed tone. _

"_Do you guys think it's enough?" _

"_I don't know... Maybe we should get more?" _

_While the others distracted themselves talking to each other, Hikigaya saw the opportunity and stepped one of the holder's feet. _

"_AW!" The bully lost his grip and the boy's right arm is free from restraint. He suddenly swung a punch on the other holder's face and then kicked the previous one's gut. _

"_Hey!" _

"_The germ is going crazy! Quick, stop him for he spreads it around the school!" The other bullies joined in and they have beaten the boy up badly. He couldn't defend himself because they greatly outnumbered him. His body is in pain from all the punches and kicks that he was sure to have lots of bruises after this. The beating went on until a teacher came inside. _

"_What's going on here!" _

_... _

"_So, anyone care to explain?" A man with black slick-backed hair said with anger. _

_Both the poor boy and the bullies are currently in the faculty being lectured by this man who is the guidance counselor of the school. They all sat on chairs as they discussed what happened. _

"_Hikigaya started it! We were just messing around and he just suddenly went berserk!" One of the bullies shouted, and Hikigaya was shocked by his lies. _

"_By messing around you mean ruining the poor boy's bento and hurting him? Those aren't 'messing around', pure harassment and violence!" The guidance counselor shouted and the children went silent. He was right, that incident wasn't some joke or skit that you should do as if they're in a world of cartoons or TV shows. This is real life, people will get hurt and whatever actions a person makes, consequences will come and those consequences are worse than what kid's shows depicted. _

"_All of you are suspended for a week while Hikigaya is suspended for three days." The counselor declared, and it shocked Hikigaya that he was included. _

"_Eh?! Even me? But they're the ones who-" _

"_Yes, I know. However, you retaliated with violence and that shouldn't be ignored." _

"_But-" _

"_My decision is clear. Suspension for all of you. Now to end this peacefully, I want you all to apologize to each other." _

_The students in the room all glanced at each other while the boy just looked at the counselor with widened eyes. They all stood up with the bullies at one side while Hikigaya on the other. The bullies bowed to the boy. _

"_I'm sorry." They all said it in sync. Hikigaya hesitated but also bowed towards them. _

"_I-I'm sorry, too." _

_... _

_Three days later _

_So far it's going well with Hikigaya. The bullies got what they deserved although he thought suspension wasn't a good enough punishment he was satisfied with it in the end. He told his parents about what happened, and both mother and father were furious. The parents went to his school to question their disciplinary practice to children. He was glad that his mother and father could at least do this for their son. It was announced that the school will implement a more strict penalty for students who commit bullying and harassment to others. He didn't know the specific details, but he could tell from the teachers they're taking the situation very seriously. _

"_Hikigaya!" The boy was walking in the hallway until he heard the voice of his homeroom teacher. _

"_Isegawa-sensei?" _

"_Are you okay? How're your injuries? Are you bored at home?" Isegawa suddenly surprised Hikigaya with a barrage of questions. It's as if she is his mother, worried about him as his son. _

"_I'm fine, sensei." That was the only answer he gave with a smile. _

"_Oh, good. I'm sorry Hikigaya, I should've paid more attention so none of this would have happened." She said in a dejected tone. "If anyone hurt you, call me or any of the teachers, okay?" _

"_Okay!" The little boy said with glee. He was happy that there are people willing to help him with his troubles. Little did he knew that his suffering in elementary school won't end and it will follow him for years. _

* * *

The alarm of the clock beeped in the bedroom of the cynical loner. Hikigaya Hachiman woke up before the alarm went off as he contemplated on the dream he just had.

"What a nightmare." He said in a sleepy tone while scratching his eye. "It's all because of those two I dreamt of those childhood memories"

Hikigaya remembered something on the internet about childhood dreams. One article said that it reflects the person's feelings about being inexperienced with new situations and having enthusiasm for new opportunities or changes.

"_In other words, innocence, which is something I had lost a long time ago. Well, technically I am still an innocent, pure teenager, I meant innocent in another way. The feeling of curiosity is still a part of my emotions but trying new things, especially things normies would do, is the last thing I would be enthusiastic for." _The loner thought irritated by society's lack of realization at how flawed the system is. However, that irritation was quickly dissipated after remembering what the article wrote of another meaning of childhood dreams:

Inferiority, weakness, a lesser being. Negatively, dreaming of childhood may reflect feelings of being treated little, patronized, or overlooked. Feeling that people are arrogantly not respecting someone because of that person's status being lower than anyone else. The loner agreed to himself that the negative meaning of his dream is more plausible but is still unlikely for him. He never cared about others looking down on him since he already knew he was "inferior" to them...

"But they are fools if they think they are better than me." Hachiman mumbled in an arrogant tone. He sat up on the bed and stretched his arms, only to find out it was a bad idea as he flinched in pain. His fight yesterday with the criminals from that sushi restaurant left him quite a few scratches. He has a small bandage in his right cheek and more scars in his right arm. The doctor also wrapped his other arm in bandages after applying ointment to heal the injury. He already removed the bandages on his left hand, revealing the scar in the backhand and palm. He wondered if he might look like some badass shounen manga character if he gets more scars but he shook his head from that thought.

"_Not really worth hurting myself over something as stupid as trying to have a supposed 'cool' appearance. There are other ways to improve your appearance, but for someone like me, I'm better looking than anyone else!" _The loner thought as he turned off the alarm and stood up to stretch more despite the pain. He went to the bathroom to wash up, brush his teeth and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

"I'm more and more looking like a delinquent to them, huh? Oh well, they're idiots anyway. If they would just take a closer look at me, they'd realize how good looking I really am." Hachiman talked to himself while touching the wrapped bandages until he seemed satisfied. He put on a blue sports jacket and matching jogging pants and went downstairs. He smelled food coming from the dining table and saw Komachi eating breakfast and there is a plate with toasts on the other side of the table across her.

"Good morning." He greeted her while sitting on a chair and eat his breakfast. "Where's mom and dad?"

"Hoot mowni, ohii-an!" His little sister who is wearing her uniform greeted back with food on her mouth. "Mo and a are at wok."

"Komachi, I don't understand a word you're saying. Don't talk when your mouth is full." He said with an annoyed look as Komachi swallowed.

"I said good morning, onii-chan! Mom and dad are at work." She repeated with her usual bright smile. However, for our protagonist, no matter how bright her smile is he would never forget the terrifying moment they had yesterday.

...

"_AAAAHHHH!" The loner screamed in fear. _

"_HOLD STILL, STUPID ONII-CHAN!" Komachi shouted as she tried to push the container filled with needles into her big brother's mouth but she was met with resistance from him as he tried to push away the hand where she was holding the container. _

"_I'M SORRY, OKAY!? I JUST COULDN'T HELP IT BUT THAT COUPLE REALLY NEED-" He tried explaining to him while avoiding the horrible fate of swallowing a thousand needles but the little sister interrupted. _

"_THEN-CALL-THE-PO-LICE!" _

"_ENOUGH!" A loud female voice stopped them. The siblings turned to look at the woman sitting on the dining table. She has short black hair with the signature Hikigaya ahoge, black eyes and wears glasses. This is their mother, and she looked irritated by the sibling's actions. _

"_Komachi, put those needles back in the drawer." She commanded her daughter, and she immediately complied. "And you Hachiman, what in the world were you thinking?! Playing the hero when you should've just-" _

"_Ignored them? No, I just can't" The son interrupted her while lowering his head. "I just couldn't ignore them when they're in trouble." _

"_Then find someone who can help instead of just charging in head-on." The mother sighed while holding her forehead. "Honey, please say something to him." _

_She looked at the man sitting next to her. He is over six feet tall with a built stature, has also black hair and his jawline is visible on his face. He is the father of the Hikigaya siblings and he looked calm as if he's not bothered by his son's current situation. He looked at his loving wife and then to his son. _

"_Hachiman, what you did was very brave but you should refrain yourself from doing these acts." The father said in a very low voice. " There may be a time when you won't be able to distinguish what's right and what's reckless. Sometimes, you need to count on others to do the job. We're not saying that you should ignore people who are in trouble but try and help them in a different way, understand?" _

...

Hachiman contemplated his father's words and what he said was right. Sometimes there are other ways to do it than just barge himself in. He was almost done for when he got on a chokehold back at that sushi restaurant. If it wasn't for Isegawa Yusuke, he might get killed, and then those two would suffer from the delinquents' selfish acts. He should depend on other people more than thinking no one can do what's right. However, he set aside that thought and has something else in mind.

Komachi's monstrous transformation...

The older brother caught a glimpse of what might be the "demon" inside his adorable little sister from the first time she found out about his reckless deeds. Yesterday, he saw the "demon" in its complete form, and he wished that such a demon never existed inside Komachi.

"_S-she was really about to shove those needles in my mouth! A-and that face... I never thought someone would be as terrifying as the Ice Queen, and it was my sister no less! The image of my cute, adorable, and angelic sister Komachi is also a facade! A facade that normies wear all the time!"_ Hachiman internally voiced out his frustration and despair with a fearful look. Komachi was puzzled by his expression but ignored it for now as she ate her breakfast.

"What are you gonna do today, onii-chan? There's still four more days of suspension, right?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh, I'm just gonna do some morning jog then off to playing my Vita-chan." The older brother said indifferently while eating his toast.

"Is that so?" There was silence after that as they eat their breakfast until Komachi spits her food at him as she finally realized what her older brother just said. "Jogging?! You?! Exercising?!"

"Yeah...I guess that's surprising coming from me." Hachiman said nonchalantly while wiping his face.

"Oh...Well, I'm glad my onii-chan is finally putting some effort into his well-being. If you work out more, you'll be one million times more handsome. Kyaaaah~! That definitely deserves some Hachiman points." Komachi held her cheek.

"Hmph. I don't need to put an effort in my looks, but thanks anyway Komachi." Hachiman gave his little sister a head pat and continued eating. After that, Komachi waved at her brother at the front door and went out. The loner did some household chores such as vacuuming the floor, washing dishes and dusting the cabinets and corners before heading out to do some jogging. His mind still wandered on the couple that he helped yesterday: Isegawa Yusuuke and Isegawa Mihara. They have same surname as his homeroom teacher back in elementary school. Hachiman isn't necessarily the type that holds grudges but he's not exactly the type who can let go of the past so easily. All the suffering that he endured from childhood until now laid the foundation of his pessimism and his clarity of what youth truly is. It's not like the past bothered him but he just couldn't forget how painful it was, going through all that.

"No use thinking about it. Need to get some fresh air." He said as he tied his shoes at the front door and went out wearing his black waist pouch that has a bottle holder. His plan was to jog starting from his house to the nearest convenience store, the place where he ended Sagami's or rather "Isane" case of rape. Even though it's the nearest store from his home, it's still a great distance away if he went there on foot. From there he will buy a drink and take a short break and after that, he will jog to the park and make a few laps there. It's a pretty hardcore jogging, but it's a challenge that he likes to take on for himself.

"I think it's important to challenge yourself. It helps make you a better person." Yukinoshita's words echoed in his mind.

"Alright, Ice Queen. I'll take your word for it...maybe just thirty percent of it..." The loner mumbled, and he started the challenge.

* * *

"Welcome! Oh... Aren't you?" The same female cashier asked our protagonist in excitement.

"Uh... yeah, it's me." He answered nervously. He really doesn't like attention so whoever hid his identity from those criminal cases, he was very grateful for that so he won't ponder on that mystery person until he deemed it necessary.

"I'm so glad to see you again! I waited for you to come here for days just so I could say thank you for saving us." The cashier said with a wide smile.

"It was no problem." He said as he tried his best to force a smile.

"Oh! If it isn't 'Isato'-san." An old male voice called out to him. Hachiman turned around to see the same elderly couple from that robbery.

"Please don't call me that. I don't want anyone to find out about it." He said.

"Ara? But don't you want to be recognized in public?" The old woman asked.

"I don't like standing out. Plus, someone told me to so..." He added while scratching the back of his head. That last part was a lie, no one actually told him to keep it a secret, but he theorized that the mystery person doesn't want him to be known as the "hero" for a purpose he still couldn't figure out. So for now, our protagonist decided to play along with the mystery person's schemes until he solved the mystery or that person decided to show himself/herself.

"Ah, we understand. What happened to your cheek, boy?" The old man asked.

"Oh, this? We have a cat in our house. He jumped into my bed while I was sleeping and when I woke up, I accidentally hurt his tail."

"Goodness! I hope you didn't throw your cat away just from that." The old woman teased and the elderly couple laughed.

"Y-you don't have to worry about that. Hahaha..." He said while stuttering and laughing awkwardly. The loner is not very used to talking to strangers, especially if it's purely just for social interaction and not out of obligation or business. Also, Hachiman is not used to talking "nicely" although he has some manners and politeness. He wouldn't act on it towards just anyone. He is blunt, honest, and stoic. He hates superficial acting that gives purpose to blend in. However, this elderly couple is just genuinely kind and thankful that he intervened in the robbery despite the dangers and our protagonist doesn't want disrespect such kindness.

"Well, I have to go now. I'm only here to take a short break and get back on my jogging." He said as he grabbed a bottle of water and a loaf of bread wrapped in plastic.

"Ara, younglings are so lively, huh?" The old woman said as if she's reminiscing about a memory. "But aren't you supposed to be in school at this hour?"

"Oh, uh...I was having a mild fever, so I skipped school for a while and I'm getting better," Hachiman explained with a lie. He didn't want to tell people his circumstances so willingly. "I'll...uh be going back to school by tomorrow but right now, I need some peace from all the school activities."

"Sounds like you're too lazy to attend school. That's not good, young boy. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and go along with what's coming at you." The old man said while tapping Hachiman's shoulder. "Welp, we also need to go now. Who knows what those grandkids are up to now. hahahaha"

They bowed and waved to each other as the elderly couple left. The loner was glad that they were fine after that incident. He approached the female cashier so he could buy the drink and also a loaf of bread as a light snack.

"I'm buying this."

"Okay." She said as she grabbed the bottle and type the buttons on the cash register.

He looked at the cashier's appearance. She is a bit taller than him which could indicate that she's a college student or maybe that's just her genetic trait. She has long black, curly hair, dark skin and appears to be a foreigner. One thing that comes to a teenage boy like Hachiman is that:

"She is very pretty. I didn't even notice her looks until now."

"Here you go!" She said as she gave him back his purchased items along with a tiny folded paper.

"Is that a receipt? I don't need a copy." He said as he noticed something weird on the cashier. Her cheeks are red, and she's looking at him strangely. "Um...are you alright?"

"Oh! I'm fine. Just take it. It's very important."

And with that, he left but not without having a confused expression. He raised the small paper up and looked at it, wondering what is written. After he sat down to the ground near the entrance and opened the water bottle to drink, he unfolded the paper and saw numbers with a heart drawn at the end. His whole body froze from processing what this could be. Eleven digits. The first three start with 090. Has a heart drawn at the end. He also noticed something else written below.

"_An email address!?" _The loner shouted inside his mind. _"Then this is her...her...phone number?"_

He turned around to look at the glass window and saw the beautiful cashier waving at him with a seductive smile. He didn't believe it. He's being hit on by a girl...NO! A woman! As a self-proclaimed "King of Loners", This is something that he would never expect to happen in his entire life. Normally, our protagonist should be delighted that a beautiful woman gave him her number, but that didn't happen. Instead, he has doubts. He has lost the ability to hope on something that is nonexistence, and a girl's genuine affection is one of them.

So crushing the woman's delusions, he emptied the water bottle, crumpled the paper, threw both of them in the trash and left. This would make the dark-skinned woman leave him alone and won't pester him any further. The problem is that the loner might not go to this convenience store because if he did and the woman is there, it would seriously be awkward for both of them.

"Meh, I'll think of something." He mumbled as he returned to his jogging exercise, not noticing the cashier crying with anime tears until she stopped and went back to work.

"He's not even trying to be subtle at doing it," She sighed. "Maybe he has a girlfriend? Welp, I don't know so I'm going after him until I can confirm his relationship status. Hehe! Now if I remembered right, there was one time when he went here wearing a Sobu High School uniform."

* * *

**Lunchtime at Sobu High School **

"Sai-chan!" Minami called out to Totsuka as she held a bento. "Let's eat."

"Okay!" The boy with a cute feminine face complied and put their desks together along with The silvery blue-haired girl known as Kawasaki. The rest of the class had already got used to this new "clique" along with Hikigaya's presence with his terrible reputation as long as they didn't tick him off nor hurt his "girlfriend".

The loner's first three victims were athletes: one was a third-year who was an ace in the baseball club, the other two were some of the best basketball players in the school. The three male students were just walking in the hallway until Hikigaya just suddenly charged at them with a punch at the baseball player's face. It was shocking for everyone near them as they started fighting each other but was even more shocking was that the creepy loner dominated them with ease. None of them knew that Hikigaya himself was quite athletic. He is skilled at swimming, as he swam two kilometers during his middle school years because he had nothing else to do in those swimming classes and even now he has been doing this routine ever since, and of course his experiences in facing dangerous situations such as a robbery and an attempted rape incident.

The only two things they knew about his athletic skills was that he's skillful at tennis due to watching his match with Yukinoshita against Miura and Hayama, and Totsuka remarked this skill multiple times. The other thing was that he bikes everyday to school but recently he was seen going to school on foot. Even with that knowledge, they already assumed that they would beat the loner into a pulp by those athletes. After all, a hated loser who only practice at PE and lazily doing everyday things against three students who worked and trained hard at club hours to become athletes that other students admired. The outcome should've been obvious by assessing that information but of course, Hikigaya shattered those illusions by showing his combat skills.

It's not at the level of a professional (probably not yet) but it was enough to defeat the three bullies with ease. But he didn't stop there. On that single day, he was on a hunt. From second-years to third-years, Hikigaya attacked most of the bullies until the teachers stopped him. the loner/delinquent(?) was let off with a few days of suspension rather than expulsion or being taken by a disciplinary action which puzzled the student body.

"And it was all because you didn't tell him beforehand." Kawasaki told the brown-haired girl with a disapproving look.

"How was I supposed to know Hikigaya would do that f-for me? Plus, he didn't look the type to do that!" Sagami said in embarrassment and guilt.

"'Look the type', huh? He kinda fits the appearance now that he has those scars." The silvery blue-haired girl said with a mocking tone.

"Kawasaki-san, please don't say that," Totsuka said while grabbing food with his chopsticks. "Well, I do admit it was surprising that Hachiman would do that."

"It's all my fault," Sagami sighed.

"Hey, no it wasn't," Kawasaki tried to cheer her up, but she only made it worse. "I mean, yeah you hid from him that the harassment got worse and then you stupidly went to face those assholes on your own but then got-"

"Okay! Not helping Saki-chan. You need to work on that." The brown-haired girl said with her guilt increased further.

"Oh, sorry." The silvery blue-haired girl apologized while scratching the back of her neck. She isn't really the best at finding the right things to say.

"It was sort of a miracle he got off with suspension. So in the end, he's alright." Totsuka lifted Sagami's spirits. "Why don't you make up to him by giving something."

"Like what? Free food?" She asked.

"Everyone likes free food." Kawasaki exclaimed.

"But Hikigaya likes it more than anyone else...Something about not working hard for it or whatever."

"Hahaha. That's Hachiman for you. Acting all lazy." Totsuka laughed and so was the two girls. They continued to eat and have conversations about the Kyoto trip and mundane things. Sagami is glad to have people like these two who really wanted to be friends with her not out of popularity. If they were, it would've been just her and Hikigaya throughout the whole high school life which she wouldn't mind one bit.

"Hey Sai-chan," The brown-haired girl called out to the tennis player. "You have Hikigaya's number, right?"

"Yeah, why?" He asked. "You want me to give it to you and call him?"

"U-umm, yeah. I still don't know how to apologize, so I'll just have to ask him." She said nervously and Totsuka complied. After giving her the loner's phone number, she already dialed the number and waited for him to answer. The two classmates leaned forward in anticipation, but each of them have different reasons. Totsuka is excited in wonder how these two will interact on the phone all lovey-dovey while Kawasaki just went along with him. The three heard the clicking sound on the phone and a male voice.

"_Hello? Who is this?" _

"Hikigaya?"

"_Sagami? I don't remember giving you my number." _

"I got it from Sai-chan."

"_Totsuka, huh? So how're you over there? Did those guys still-" _

"No! No, it's fine now. I'm sorry that I got you into this."

"_You don't have to be sorry. I was just mad that they-" _

"But you did that for my sake so I want to repay you... Again," Minami said with a blush. Totsuka held his cute giggle by covering his mouth while Kawasaki just stared at her with so much focus that she might activate her X-ray vision if she continued to stare that way.

"_Well, you can treat me again to a restaurant." _

"No. I feel like I'm about to turn into your personal food coupon."

"_Oh, so you finally realized your role in society." _Hachiman said in a deadpan tone and with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oi, you better be joking or I'll pinch you so hard, my fingers will sink into your flesh," Minami said in a menacing tone while flexing her fingers that have sharp, manicured nails.

"_I'm kidding, Geez. Does no one have a sense of humor in these modern times?" _

"The problem is YOUR sense of humor, Bakagaya." She then heard a splash of water from the call. "Was that water? Where are you?"

"_I'm taking a bath right now." _He answered nonchalantly as if there were no problems telling that to a woman.

"... What?" Minami asked with a blank expression.

"_I said I'm taking a bath, I'm in a bathtub right now." _She blushed at that. The brown-haired girl looked at her two classmates and noticed they tried to pretend to not hear that, but failed miserably. Totsuka looked up while eating his bento but his blushing and sweat dripped on his cheek gave it away while Kawasaki closed her eyes as if she didn't care about it but her cheeks are also red and one of her eyes are twitching. As if to add fuel to the fire, the loner explained further of his recent exercise that made her imagination ran wild.

"_I just did some extensive jogging, and I was all sweaty so yeah," _

"Jogging...sweaty?" She mumbled and her thoughts went out of control. _"Hikigaya..sweaty...bath...naked...Hikigaya's naked...Hikigaya's naked washing his sweaty body...he's naked while talking to me on the phone..." _

"Sagami-san? Sagami-san!" Totsuka tried to call out to Minami, but it was no use.

"Oi, get a grip." Kawasaki said as she karate chopped Minami's head and she woke up from her thoughts.

"O-oh uh... what were you saying?" The brown-haired girl asked the loner on the phone.

"_I said nothing," _Hachiman answered in a worried tone. _"I was just waiting for you to respond, but you were dead silent. Are you okay?" _

"Yup, fine, good, Ifeelreallyamazinginfactevenbetterthaneversodon'tworry." She said it a little too quickly while breathing hard.

"Oi Sagami," Kawasaki called her out. "You're drooling..."

"Eh?" Minami touched the corner of her mouth and felt the slimy sensation of saliva. She wiped it off with a handkerchief and continued talking to Hachiman. "AHEM! So is there anything else you want besides food?"

"_Hmmm...I do want some notes on the lectures I've missed today, especially math. Will you mind if I copy yours?" _

"No problem!" She answered, and the call ended. "Saki-chan, can I borrow your notes, please?"

"Hah? Why?" Kawasaki asked in irritation.

"So I can copy it and make mine look better."

"Your notes are fine as it is so there's no point."

"You're a lot smarter than me so I figured your notes were written better than mine."

"Just ask Totsuka, I bet he's smarter than me." Kawasaki said while pointing at him.

"Honestly, Kawasaki-san," He said. "I think you're better at academics than me. You're enrolled in a cram school if I remembered it right AND you got a scholarship, so that tells the difference."

"Ghh! Fine," The silvery blue-haired girl finally complied. "I'll only give you my notes on math since Hikigaya sucked badly at that subject."

Sagami took the notebook and flipped the pages. She nodded as she was glad that the notes are very easy to understand and Sagami took out her own notebook to start rewriting some parts.

"Write this.. and then take a picture and send it..." Sagami mumbled but Totsuka heard it clearly.

"Wait, you're going to take a picture of your notes and send it to him?" He said in a confused expression. "That's not good! You should go to his house and give your notes to him directly!"

"Eh?! Why would I do that? Wouldn't it be easier to just send a photo of it?"

"Yeah, but that means Hachiman would read the notes on his cellphone and that could hurt his eyesight. Besides, wouldn't that be your chance to know what his house is like and get closer to him?"

"Y-you make it sound like I have a crush on him or something which I DON'T!"

"It's kinda obvious, Sagami-san." He said with a dazzling smile that made her falter.

"I...do have a slight interest in him," The brown-haired girl stuttered while twiddling her index fingers and blushing. "He did help me at both festivals in a way, he is kind, a little awkward which makes him so cute, and when I heard that he beat up those guys for me, I thought it was sweet and... kinda hot."

"Well, that settles it," Kawasaki exclaimed. "Just go to his house and confess."

"That's way too fast!" Totsuka rejected her idea. "They need to take it slow."

"Sounds like a pain in the ass to me." She shrugged. "Wait, do you even know where his house is?"

"No, do you?" Sagami asked.

"Yeah, I was kinda surprised when I found out that his house is very close to mine. Here, I'll write a map for you." Kawasaki said as she took out a small paper and pen and began drawing the map.

"C-can't I just come with you after class?"

"No, I have a part-time job so you're on your own."

"...Sai-chan?" Sagami cried to Totsuka.

"Good luck! Sagami-san!" Only for her to get rejected before she could even ask.

"I don't think I can..." She whispered quietly, not heard by her two new friends as all three listened to two male classmates talking about a topic they're interested in, especially Sagami.

"Did you hear the news about that sushi restaurant?"

"No, don't tell me something bad happened at that place. I haven't tried their food yet!"

"Oh, sorry but that restaurant is closed for now because a group vandalized the place and hurt the owners."

"Goddamnit! And here I thought I would ask her out on a nice date there. Well, what happened to those assholes that did it."

"Arrested and guess who stopped them..."

" 'Isato'? Damn, I thought vigilantes only exist in shounen."

"Maybe that guy is a shounen fanatic?" The two guys laughed and let go of the topic as they went out of the room.

"He's been appearing a lot, hasn't he?" Totsuka said while finishing his bento.

"Never thought idiots like him existed." Kawasaki said indifferently while holding her finished bento.

"Idiots? He did something brave, though."

"But what he did was still reckless."

While the two are arguing about "Isato"'s recent actions, Sagami just sat there thinking about Hikigaya. She already knew that it was him since he told her back then that he won't stop doing this vigilante stuff. However, despite accepting his vigilantism, she couldn't help feel worried about the loner if he got hurt from fighting crime. Sagami didn't felt nervous anymore on thinking about going to his house as she got another reason to go there, which filled her with concern and a touch of anger.

* * *

"Stop button mashing, you trash!" Hachiman who is wearing a plain white T-shirt and green jogging pants, shouted as he vigorously pushed buttons on his PS Vita in frustration that his opponent in a fighting game is repeatedly using one move to attack until he finally hit the opponent. "Finally! Now you die-"

Hachiman suddenly heard a doorbell coming from the front door. He stood up from the couch and walked while still playing the game until he reached the door and opened it.

"Yes? Eh?" Hachiman was surprised as he saw Minami in front of him panting hard while holding her knees. From the looks of it, she must've run from school to get here considering that she's still wearing her school uniform. "How did you know where my house is?"

"Saki...-chan...told me." She said between breaths. The loner couldn't see her face since she lowered her head and the bangs of her hair are in the way. Minami looked up for him to see an angry expression with sweat covering her face despite the cold climate.

"What the hell...is this?" She took out her phone and showed an article on a website about the sushi restaurant they once went to. "Now don't lie to me, I know this is your doing. Even if I accepted this action of yours, you still need to learn when to stop."

"Uh... Why don't you come inside?" He stepped aside to invite her in.

"Oh, okay. Sorry for the intrusion..." She removed her shoes and Hachiman led her to the living room as she sat on the couch while he brewed some tea. Minami looked around to see all the furniture, picture frames, and TV, all of these identified the living room of the Hikigaya household.

"Where are your parents?" She asked.

"Out for work."

"Then your sister? I did catch a glimpse of her once during the Cultural Festival."

"Probably still at school or hanging out with her friends."

"Hmmm..." The brown-haired girl hummed until she realized something. His parents are out, and his sister hasn't come home yet. She is inside Hachiman's house. Hachiman is a boy, Minami is a girl. No one is here except for these two.

"Meow!" And a white cat, but that's not important in her mind right now. After fully assessing the situation she's in, Minami's face turned red and somehow she's emitting some sort of steam. Her body is shaking and her jaw dropped from the realization.

"Does that mean it's just the two of us?"

"There's also Kamakura, he's our pet cat but yeah, it's just the two of us." He answered nonchalantly like that didn't bother him at all.

"I-is that so," She stuttered but regained her composure by coughing. "And this doesn't bother you?"

"Why should I?"

"A boy and a girl alone in a house?"

"Nope, I learned that expecting at something non-existent is foolish so I'm not bothered at all. Plus, you're not the first female who got inside my house."

"PFFFTTT!" Minami spat her tea from that revelation. "Seriously!?"

"Yup."

"Then who was first?"

"My mom."

"...Excuse me?"

"I said, my mom. She is the first female that got inside this house. Then Komachi was born so that makes her the second- AW!" a painful pinch in his side interrupted him by the brown-haired girl who is annoyed by his answer until she sighed.

"I did say 'female' so..."

"Hmph! Whatever," She folded her arms while Hachiman chuckled by her reaction. "By that logic, that means I'm the third?"

"Actually," He answered while counting with his fingers. "you might be the...seventh."

"Hmmm~ then who were the others?"

"Third was Yuigahama. She once asked us to take care of her dog while she was out doing something."

"She has a dog?"

"Yeah, his name is Sable. Anyway, the fifth girl is Kawa...uh...Kawa...saki? Yeah, Kawasaki."

"Saki...-chan?" Minami asked with a whisper. She wasn't bothered that Yuigahama went to his house since their "friendship" is ruined but Kawasaki definitely surprised her.

"I was kinda surprised that she lives close to us. She recently visits me often to give me treats or asking me about studies." He explained.

"T-then who's the last?"

"Keika."

"Who?"

"Kawasaki's kid sister. She's 7 years old. She came with her once at that one weekend so Kawasaki could babysit while studying with me for exams. Keika was really cute. The way she-" He explained further about his activities with the silvery blue-haired girl and her little sister but Minami didn't listen as she imagined Hachiman with Kawasaki walking side-by-side holding hands. To think that Kawasaki is already that close to him, she would bring her sister to his house.

"Sagami?"

"Nothing! So, I'm the SEVENTH girl, huh?" She said while pretending that she's not bothered by it but the loner saw through Minami's act from the way she said the number.

"So what brings you here aside from giving me the same scolding as my family?" He asked, changing the subject to make her feel better.

"Oh!" The brown-haired girl dug into her bag and took out a notebook. "Here, notes for today's lectures."

"Is there math?"

"As you requested, devoted commoner." She smirked.

"Greeeaaatt~ Thank you for your kindness, my queen." He said sarcastically. "Can this commoner ask for another favor? Mayhaps a difficult one?"

"For as long as tis within my capabilities, you may."

"Teach me the math, please." Hachiman bowed his head to her, and she complied. She knew that math is his weakest subject, but the brown-haired girl was shocked at how terrible he was. To be fair, Minami's academics are only average, but it is enough for him to understand the lectures. Also, if it wasn't for Kawasaki's notes, this tutoring might've been more difficult. Hachiman was glad that Minami is good at explaining the formulas and their uses, probably better than their math teacher since his explanations were so little detailed and short. The two teenagers had fun, even if Hachiman had to go through the horror that is mathematics. He would sometimes say some sarcastic remarks only for him to be pinched by Minami and being mocked for his terrible math skills. After two hours of tutoring, they settled down with some biscuits and tea while playing with Kamakura on the floor.

"I'm home! Sorry I took so long, I was hanging out with my friends and-" The voice of Hachiman's little sister came from the front door and they heard her stopped mid-sentence. It's because Komachi noticed two pairs of shoes, one of them she didn't recognize but immediately knew it was a girl. "Onii-chan! Did you bring Kawasaki-sa..."

"Nope," He answered while drinking his traditional cup of tea. "This is Sagami. A classmate of mine."

"Nice to meet you," Minami stood up and bowed to her while hiding her jealousy when Komachi assumed it was Kawasaki that visited the Hikigaya household. "I'm Sagami Minami."

"..." Komachi stood there staring at the brown-haired girl and turn to look at her brother then back to her again. She approached Minami and walked around her as if she's investigating everything about the girl that her creepy, cynical, lonely but loving big brother brought in. After a few seconds, Komachi nodded and went back to where she stood. She took a deep breath and...

"**KYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH~!**" Her scream was so loud that the entire city of Chiba might've heard that. Hachiman and Minami covered their ears as they grunted in pain.

"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OHMYGODOHMYGOD"

"OKAY! Calm down, you noisy imouto!" Hachiman shouted with an annoyed expression. "That was the loudest shriek since the time Kei-chan first came in here."

"I'm Hikigaya Komachi, I'm his little sister and I'm happy to meet you. I hope he didn't trouble you with him being all gross and have a terrible sense of humor"

"Oi," A vein popped on Hachiman's forehead.

"It's okay, really. Minami said. "He is kind to me and I'm not bothered by him at all even though he can be so thickheaded, say weird and disgusting things, and act like a loser sometimes.

"I'm right here, you know." Hachiman is getting irritated by their insults and pretending he's not here in the room.

"So! So! So! How did you two meet each other? What's your relationship? How long since the two of you started hanging out?" The little sister asked them with a barrage of questions.

"I said calm down. We're classmates but I just discovered her existence at that Fireworks Festival. She and I are just friends. We started hanging out a few weeks ago." He answered all the questions as Minami looked at her wristwatch.

"I have to go," She said with a look of realization. "I forgot to text my parents that I would go home a little late. They must be worried by now."

"Are you going to ride a train? I'll walk with you to the station." The loner asked.

"Thanks but I can take the bus from here. See ya!" Minami waved goodbye and ran out of the house. The siblings heard the door opening and closing as they just stare at each other without moving an inch while Kamakura tried to gain his attention by climbing on his lap. Komachi once again took a deep breath and Hachiman knew what's coming.

"Oh not again-"

"**KYAAAAAAAAAH~!**"

* * *

A teenage boy with spiky blonde hair who was watching TV in the living room heard the sound of the front door opening. He is wearing a denim jacket over his black hoodie, and dark grey pants. He turned around to see a blurry image of Minami running fast, but he could tell there was a blush on her face. The teenager stood up and went upstairs to check on her.

"Oi, Minami," He called out while knocking on her bedroom door only to hear no response. "Oi! You came home a lot later than usual."

The teenager waited for a few moments until he becomes irritated and just opened the door. His irritation was soon replaced with a feeling of disbelief and confusion. Minami had her face covered with a pillow and clutching it tightly while rolling around her bedroom screaming.

"HHMMPHH!HMHMHMHMH!" She wiggled her body and swinging her legs up and down as if she was having a seizure. The teenager looked at her with widened eyes before slowly closing the door. He dawdled to process what he just saw and went back into the living room.

"Mom, Dad... Something happened to Minami."

"Eh?" The parents were confused.

"What do you mean?" Hanabi asked.

"Come see for yourself." That was his only answer before prompting them to follow towards their daughter's bedroom. Minami who was still screaming on her pillow squirming on her bed surprised the parents.

"What the hell?" the father gasped. "Is it something about that 'Hayama' again?"

"I don't think so, darling." His wife said while watching their daughter. "If something did happen between her and her classmate, she would just brag about it and busy texting her cellphone for days. This...this is different."

"I guess there could only mean one thing." The teenager said while folding his arms.

"No, don't say it." The father quietly pleaded,

"Yup, it's pretty obvious!" His wife said in a cheery tone while holding her cheeks.

"No, no no no..."

"She's really in love with someone." The older son and wife said simultaneously while nodding in acknowledgment without noticing their father/husband went pale from their statement. In his mind, he hoped they were wrong but looking at his daughter closely, he feared the worst. Looking back at the time when Minami's still a popular girl in her class (which she bragged to them for hours), she would only text and brag whenever something happened between her and a boy she finds "cute" or "hot" and then tells them about said boy. Here in the present, it is clearly different. She doesn't act like this if it's someone like that Hayama person and she never told them about her current crush aside from the fact that he saved her from that attempted rape incident and she went on a "date" with him once.

"M-Minami," He called out to his daughter, and she suddenly stood up and rushed to them. "What-"

"Not telling. Don't talk to me." And then she slammed the door closed, leaving her parents and older brother in shock while still hearing her muffled scream. They never saw Minami in that expression before. As her family, they were very familiar with her behavior, skills, and emotions. They have seen Minami angry, happy, sad, annoyed, etc. However, the one they have witnessed today is completely new. Her eyes widened, her voice was even colder than the current climate, and her cheeks were red.

"Wow, I never saw her like that before." The mother said while still recovering from what she just witnessed. "It's almost as if she's-"

"Thirsty." The older son said it as a joke, but someone took that seriously and that someone is his father.

"Oi, Takumi" He grabbed his son's head. "What the fuck do you mean by that, huh?"

"I-I was kidding...dad, my head.. you're going to crush my head!" The son known as Takumi pleaded to his father, but to no avail. He turned around to beg his mother for help but she was too busy thinking about something.

"Is my daughter turning into a..into a.." She mumbled. "What was it called again? Yanjiro? Ya...Yaboku? Yan...Yanjire?"

* * *

**The Next Day, 12:00 PM, Six days left before school trip **

Hachiman is currently in a hot water-filled bathtub resting his body after another extensive jogging. He went for another route to the park since he can't go to that convenience store. Unfortunately for the loner, the alternative route he took was far longer than the usual added with a few laps around the park resulted in having sore legs almost as if they felt all jelly and burning until he went home and went into the bath. He pondered on whether he should do other forms of exercise but decided against that because of the possibility of his recent injuries reopening worried him.

"I guess I have to stick with jogging for a while? Hmm..." He mumbled as he held his chin to think. "You know what they say, if you don't know it, google it."

The moment he grabbed his cellphone, it rang. He looked at the screen and saw that it's a phone call from Minami and he answered.

"Yo,"

"_Yo!" _Minami greeted back cheerfully. _"Mmm... Nah, that kind of greeting is not my style." _

"Hmph! The energy conservation greeting is only for beings such as me who doesn't work hard."

"_And yet, you were jogging yesterday." _

"My core as the lazy human still resides within me."

"_Is that so, then tis appropriate that a heavy punishment must be ensured to quicken thee from thy vile attitude." _She said.

"Oh my dear queen, please do not contempt thee loyal commoner. My skills are still a usance for thy motive." He said pretending to be scared, and they both laughed. "When did you learn to talk like that?"

"_Meh, read a lot of books during middle school." _

"You? read books?"

"_I passed the entrance exam here, y'know." _

"You probably cheated."

"_As if! Plus I'm smarter than you in math." _

"And I'm smarter than you in...everything else." He smirked.

"_Oh, shut up!" _She said angrily and calmed herself. _"So, what are you doing right now?" _

"Taking a bath." He answered nonchalantly and he swore that heard a gasp.

"_I see..." _He heard a gulp from Minami. _"Another day of jogging?" _

"Yeah, and it was worse than yesterday. I took the longer route to the park and I underestimated the distance. Not to mention I was stupid enough to make some laps."

"_Geez, are you aiming to be the greatest hero or something?" _

"Nah, I just want to challenge myself that's all."

"_That's one hell of a challenge if you ask me. Oh yeah, do you want the notes for today's classes?" _

"Maybe not, how about you do a days' worth of copying notes and then give it to me after my suspension so you won't tire yourself out from running back and forth."

"_I don't mind as long as I can go into your house but sure why not?" _She agreed, but he noticed a disappointed tone from her voice. _"Anyway, you still haven't told me about your... y'know." _

"Oh," He already knew what she was talking about. "Are you alone right now?"

"_Hold on,"_ Minami said as he heard her excuse herself from Totsuka and Kawasaki and the sounds of footsteps and a door clicking. _"I'm in the restroom. Now please tell me." _

Hachiman finally explained to her about what happened the other day. His encounter with the rich criminal and his gang, the damages they did in that restaurant, and the fight that took place. He didn't go far as to tell her about his connection between the Isegawa's and his childhood as it was too personal for him to tell anyone aside from his family. After finishing his story, the loner heard a sigh from Minami.

"_I hope the owners can fix their restaurant back to normal." _She said in a sad tone.

"Well," The loner said. "They said that they're going on a trip for a while thanks to the money they had from that criminal's father paying the damages."

"_Huh, do you know where they're going?" _

"Of course, I don't. That's private info so they won't be bombarded with camera shots and questions from wherever they're going." He explained. "Besides, if that criminal is rich and his father got him out of prison, he might hunt those owners down."

"_That's fair,"_ Minami said in a dejected tone. _"I just hoped they'll come back soon so we can eat those tasty sushis again." _

"Oh, I didn't know you want to eat THAT dish again," He teased while smirking.

"_What are you...oh,"_ It seemed she realized what he meant. _"If you mean that Fried Fish then yeah, that food was delicious." _

"Hoh? So you wouldn't mind if someone mistakes us for a couple?"

"_Hmmm~ Nah." _She answered without hesitation. _"with that rotten attitude of yours? It won't feel like we're a couple." _

"Yeah," They both laughed at that. Few minutes have passed and they decided to end the call due to the school bell ringing which told them that her lunch break was over.

* * *

**Next day, 7:00 AM. 5 days left until school trip **

A sound of an alarm caused Hachiman to wake up in his bed but it wasn't the alarm clock, it was the alarm of a text message. He looked at the screen and saw the text message is from Minami. He opened the message, read it and texted back.

[7:00 AM] Sagami Minami: Good morning! Hope you wake earlier even in suspension!

[7:00 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: I just woke because of your annoying text.

[7:00 AM] Sagami Minami: Oh, that's good. Then I guess I'll be doing this whenever you don't go to school.

[7:05 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Please, don't...

...

**12:00 PM **

[12:00 PM] Sagami Minami: HELLOO~! 😢

[12:10 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: What? I can't talk to you on the phone right now.

[12:10 PM] Sagami Minami: Why? 😔

[12:10 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Why would I tell you?

[12:10 PM] Sagami Minami: If you don't answer my call, I'll come to your house and bother you! 😠

[12:12 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Then I guess I have to lock myself in my room while you're shouting from outside.

[12:13 PM] Sagami Minami: Hehe! I'll shout embarrassing things about you if you don't let me in.

[12:15 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Do your worse because I'm used to being humiliated in public.

[12:15 PM] Sagami Minami: GGRR! Then I'll throw rocks at your window! 😠

[12:16 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: I'll just ignore the noise by using a headphone.

[12:16 PM] Sagami Minami: FINE! Tis truly appropriate to enact punishment towards thee.

[12:16 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Do your worse. This commoner shall begin his revolt against thee.

...

**Next day, 7:00 AM. 4 days left until school trip **

Text conversation: Last Updated 6:57 AM

[6:57 AM] Sagami Minami: Good morning! 😃

[7:00 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Are you seriously going to make this a routine?

[7:00 AM] Sagami Minami: Yup! The earlier you jog, the better you can exercise.

[7:00 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: I'll give up on that stupid challenge.

[7:00 AM] Sagami Minami: NOOOO! Please workout more.😡

[7:03 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Give me one good reason why I would jog so early in the morning.

[7:03 AM] Sagami Minami: The earlier you jog, the better you can exercise! 😁

[7:03 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Aside from that...

[7:03 AM] Sagami Minami: To kill some time while staying healthy?

[7:05 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Fair enough.

[7:05 AM] Sagami Minami: YAY!😆

...

**Next Day, 8:30 PM. 3 days until school trip **

Text conversation: Last Updated 8:25 AM

[8:25 PM] Sagami Minami: Today's math period was really hard! Good luck catching up. 😎

[8:30 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Then I'll ask you for help. 😐

[8:30 PM] Sagami Minami: Did you just send an emoji?! O_O

[8:30 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Meh, I thought I'd try it once.

[8:30 PM] Sagami Minami: That's kinda cute. 😍

[8:33 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Whatever. Anyways can you tutor me again?

[8:33 PM] Sagami Minami: I could... but it may cost you.

[8:33 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: What? You want me to cook food for you?

[8:34 PM] Sagami Minami: I mean real cash! 😈

[8:34 PM] Hikigaya Hachiman: You're treating this as a real job?

...

**Next Day, 7:00 AM. 2 days until school trip **

Text conversation: Last Updated 6:50 AM

[6:50 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: Good morning. 😔

[7:00 AM] Sagami Minami: Ah! You woke up before I could even text you.

[7:00 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: No thanks to you. What are you doing?

[7:01 AM] Sagami Minami: Doing my make-up.

[7:00 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: This early? What kind of traditions do girls go through?

[7:00 AM] Sagami Minami: You wouldn't understand cuz it's a girl thing! 😠

[7:00 AM] Hikigaya Hachiman: And why trying to make yourself pretty? You're not popular anymore. 😒

[7:00 AM] Sagami Minami: I said it's a girls thing! ;P

...

**3:00 PM **

Text conversation: Last Updated 2:30 PM

Sagami Minami changed your nickname into "~~ Hachi ~~"

[3:00 PM] ~~ Hachi ~~: Oi. what kind of name is that? It looks like a name of a scammer.

[3:00 PM] Sagami Minami: Just wanna change the nickname. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

[3:00 PM] ~~ Hachi ~~: Change it back. 😒

[3:00 PM] Sagami Minami: Oh come on! You can change my nickname whatever you want, y'know.

[3:00 PM] ~~ Hachi ~~: Fine

You changed her nickname into "😈 Mina 😈"

[3:00 PM] 😈 Mina 😈: HEY! Why are there demons in my nickname!? 😢😢

[3:00 PM] ~~ Hachi ~~: You said whatever I want.

[3:01 PM] 😈 Mina 😈: But I don't like those demons. Get rid of them! 😠

[3:01 PM] ~~ Hachi ~~: You said whatever I want and now you want to change it? Girls are so demanding.

[3:01 PM] 😈 Mina 😈: Shut up and get rid of them already! Or else I might actually turn into a demon and eat you!

[3:01 PM] ~~ Hachi ~~: Nah, I'm fine with this one so get used to it. 😎

...

**5:00 PM **

"I'm back~!" Komachi shouted as she removed her shoes. "Sorry, I'm late! There were some Student Council business and I-"

The little sister stopped mid-sentence because when she entered the living room, she saw something odd. The siblings' parents are hiding behind the kitchen counter with their head propped up as if they were taking cover from an explosion and waiting for it to happen. Komachi looked confused by that as she tried to call out to them.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Shhh! Come here!" Her father ordered which she complied. She crouched down between the parents and asked.

"What's going on?"

"Look over there." The mother whispered while pointing her index finger forward. Komachi looked at the direction her mother was pointing and what she saw shocked the little sister. Hikigaya Hachiman, her beloved older brother, is sitting on a couch... and texting. Komachi's eyes popped out and her jaw dropped on the counter. The loner's eyes are glued into the screen of his cellphone and his thumb is so blurry from how fast he texted. Komachi never thought of him texting to anyone aside from her and their parents, although she did catch a glimpse of him texting to Totsuka. But, it is impossible for one of his classmates to turn him into a "normie". Only one thing, or rather, one girl could make him perform such mastery on the texting of cellphones.

"It's gotta be Minami-chan." The little sister mumbled.

"Who?" Her father asked as he heard what his daughter just whispered.

"She's... Onii-chan's classmate." She answered.

"Oh? So he finally got a girl, huh?" The mother asked, impressed by her son's growth.

"Oh no no, they're just friends but when I first saw her, she was in our house with Onii-chan playing with Kamakura. It was so romantic!" Komachi said while holding her cheeks.

"Just the two of them?! Alone?!" the father shouted angrily as he scratched the counter with his nails.

"Uh, Y-yeah dad."

"Calm down, honey! Maybe he's not texting her and just playing a mobile game." The mother speculated.

"Wait, you guys didn't look at his phone nor ask him?" The daughter asked in confusion. "And dad, is it just me or are your eyes all red?"

"We did ask him but Hachiman just ignored us. We tried looking at his phone but he pushed me away and poked your father's eyes." The mother explained with a sigh.

"I never thought he would resort to violence, especially towards his own family," The father said in an angry tone. "Whoever is this Minami girl, she's no good!"

"What do you know? We haven't met her yet." His wife retorted.

"From the looks of it, that girl is distracting Hachiman from doing important things like studying or exercising." He speculated.

"Ah, Onii-chan has been waking up very early because he said that Minami-chan kept waking him up by texting messages." Komachi rebutted.

"Gghh!" And her father didn't like that.

"Wait, for how long have they been texting to each other?" her mother asked.

"I think it was four days ago? Or was it five?" Komachi held her chin as she contemplated if she was right but shook her head letting go of that for now. "Anyways, the fact is that Onii-chan was able to text like a normie in such a short time span."

"You make it sound like it's a big deal." her mother said.

"I don't want to hear that from you who suggested taking cover behind the kitchen counter." The father said in a deadpanned tone.

"It IS a big deal," Komachi retorted. "He never texted anyone besides us, right? And he only sends short replies to us, right? And yet he's texting to someone like he was having fun! Plus, look at his thumbs. That speed and precision when he typed a specific key is nothing compared to average leveled beings like us."

"When you put it that way..." The father seemed to be convinced by his daughter's explanation while his wife just stared blankly between them and Hachiman.

"But this is a problem," Komachi changed her expression into worry. "From what you told me earlier and that level of texting, he can't control his power."

"Is this a shonen manga or something?" The mother asked in a deadpanned tone.

"Then what should we do?" Her husband asked in a serious tone.

"We need to get his attention away from his cellphone even if only a second and he will recover from the backlash of his power. If we fail, then he won't be able to look up and see the real world ever again!" Komachi said exaggeratingly and her father agreed rather quickly. The mission to stop Hachiman's cellphone addiction has begun with the mother approaching her son.

"Hachiman," She called out to him only to be ignored, but she continued. "Can you help me cook your favorite curry?"

"No." He denied without hesitation which surprised her. Hachiman has not once denied his mother's request in doing household chores but now, for the first time, he defied her. She was about to lash out on him but her husband and daughter stopped him.

"No, Mom! If you lash out, you'll make it worse!"

And so the mother of the Hikigaya Household's plan failed. NEXT.

"Hey Hachiman," It was his father's turn to approach while holding a book. "I got a new book you might be interested in-"

Hachiman suddenly grabbed the book from his hand and threw it at his face, and his father fell down. Hachiman's father thought his son would like to read a new book since they both had interests in literature, however different their preferences are. And yet, Hachiman denied him by throwing a book at his face.

"F-fucking!.." He shouted in pain. "You stupid son!"

"Easy easy!" His wife stopped him from hurting Hachiman and thus, the father of the Hikigaya Household's plan failed. NEXT

"ONII-CHAN~!" It's Komachi's turn to approach. The parents and herself are very sure that Hachiman won't ignore his adorable, cute little sister. After all, he cares for his little sister a lot to the point that he might be mistaken to be a siscon. He is very protective of his sister as he disapproves of her friendship with boys, namely Kawasaki's little brother, Taishi.

"What?" The older brother asked.

"My back hurts from all the work at the student council... please help me, onii-chan."

"You're on your own." To their surprise, he denied her request. Her, Komachi, his little sister that he loves so much, denied her and without hesitation too. His family paled with their jaws dropped.

"B-but I need your help, Onii-chan! You're the only one who can heal your cute imouto!"

"Have mom or dad do it." Denied once again. Their jaws dropped even deeper that the floor cracked and somehow their skins looked even paler. The mother is truly convinced that this is a serious situation that could cause her son's health and overall lifestyle. Although his lifestyle already involved studying, staying indoors, sleeping, and playing his PS Vita, she finally realized that this could be worse than that. Komachi gave up on the "operation" and just tried to have a look at his screen because she is curious what Minami do to make him glued into it. Sadly, the older brother pushed her away while covering her eyes with his right hand while texting with the other hand. The little sister persisted until she froze when she saw her brother between the gaps of his fingers.

_"Left-handed?! But Onii-chan is right-handed! To think he ascended that high so quickly-"_ Her thoughts are interrupted by Hachiman's words that left the entire room silent.

"Komachi, stop annoying me or else I will hate you." He said it so nonchalantly while still texting that he could be serious. The possibility of Hachiman, the overprotective brother, would say something beyond him left the little sister frozen in ice until she recovered with an angry expression.

"Fine! If that's what you want then... THEN YOU CAN GO FUCK YOURSELF! IDIOT, NINCOMPOOP! HACHIMAN!" She turned her back on him and slowly walk back to her mother and father who were both shocked from her vulgar words until they noticed the closer she approached them, her tears are becoming more visible. She then ran towards them and her father expected her to hug him so he raised his arms forward. However, his daughter went for his wife instead, leaving him disappointed and depressed.

"What are we gonna do?" Komachi asked between sobs. "At this rate, Onii-chan won't look at me anymore. UWAAAAH~!"

"Shhh... there there" "Let's just wait for tomorrow and he might go back to normal by then, okay? He might be going through a phase right now." Her mother comforted Komachi and she nodded while still crying.

"I'm kinda surprised that you care so much about our son you're actually worried about his relationship, Rokudo." The mother said to her husband name "Rokudo".

"What the hell are you talking about?" He raised an eyebrow. "I'm just doing this because Komachi will be sad if her beloved big brother ignored her, but this is even worse than I imagined."

"Tch, you and your daughter complex."

"Shut up, Nanako. I will do anything for my daughter to be happy, even if I have to allow that stupid son of mine to be close to her. I love her the most after all."

"Gross..." Komachi mumbled, but it reached her father's ears and felt depressed even more. Meanwhile, a thought crossed the loner's mind as he was texting Minami.

"_Since when did my name became an insult word." _

* * *

**2 days later, the day of the school trip. **

Two days have finally passed and now all second-year students of Sobu High School are excited to go to Kyoto. While some were going for educational purposes, most of the students are more than excited to have fun, ignite the youth within them, and make some romance. One particular blonde girl was also excited for those things to happen in the Kyoto trip however something bothered her when one of her friends was planning something that could destroy the status quo and the state of her clique. Even though she isn't the smartest person, she can be pretty observant of other people when she needs to be.

"Yumi...miko...Oi, Yumiko!" A female voice called out to her, escaped from her thoughts in the process. Miura Yumiko is currently at the front seat of a police car next to a woman with long, brown hair and has the same olive-green eyes as her. The woman is the driver of the said police car and she is taking Yumiko to the train station.

"Sorry, could you say that again, mom?" Yumiko asked while scratching her cheek.

"Geez, are you sure you alright?" Her mother asked.

"Yeah, just thinking about some things..."

"Some things, huh? Like planning to confess to someone?"

"N-no! I don't have someone in my mind..."

"Heh! Quit lying, I know that you have a crush on someone. I heard you outside of the bedroom door about how cool this guy was. What was his name? Haya...Haya..."

"You were snooping?!" Yumiko scowled while her mother laughed. After arguing for a few minutes, her mother drove the car into a corner and slowed down as she noticed something in front of the road. There is a taxi parked near the sidewalk and the taxi driver crouched down to look at a tire of the vehicle. Standing right next to him is a familiar boy with black hair, wearing the winter Sobu High uniform and has that signature strand of hair on top of his head.

"That kid..." She mumbled which was heard by her daughter as Yumiko checked what her mother was looking at and see a familiar creep she all know too well.

"Hikio?"

"Looks like one of the tires flattened." The taxi driver explained to Hikigaya while scratching his head. "Sorry kid, you need to find another ride."

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"Yup, there is a bus station not far from here. If you move quick enough, you might make it in time."

"Hey there!" A policewoman called out to them from the police car window. "You need help?"

"It's you again." Hachiman said with eyes widened.

"Yeah, it's me again. We've been bumping into each other lately, huh?"

"I'm afraid so..."

"Do you need a ride? I'm also taking my daughter to the train station for her school trip." She said as she pointed her thumb at Yumiko which surprised the loner. the blonde girl just stared back and forth between him and her mother as she was shocked that the two knew each other.

"Uhh...It's okay. I'll take the bus from here-" He tried to refuse the police woman's offer until she interrupted.

"If you're worried about looking like you're being arrested, then suck it up! Get in the car or I'll force you to." The policewoman said in an annoyed tone and Hikigaya complied as he figured that she won't back down until he accepted the offer. After taking his luggage and putting it right next to a pink luggage inside the trunk of the police car, Hikigaya gave the taxi driver money as payment but the driver refused until the policewoman intervened and forced him to take the money. Now there are three people inside the moving police car: Miura Yumiko, the Fire Queen of Sobu High School; her mother, a policewoman; and Hikigaya Hachiman, the Most Hated Man of Sobu High School, self-proclaimed King of Loners, and the anonymous hero known as "Isato".

"_This is so awkward..." _And right now, Hikigaya felt uneasy by the silence. It's been a few minutes now, and none of the females spoke. The policewoman is driving, looking forward towards the road while the Fire Queen shifted between checking her cellphone and looking at the rear-view mirror to look at the loner. The uneasiness soon disappeared as he felt a vibration from his pocket. He took out his cellphone to see that Sagami is calling him.

"Hello?"

"_Hikigaya? Where are you?" _

"I'm on my way. How are things going there."

"_I'm with Sai-chan and Saki-chan right now. We are all gathered inside the station checking attendance." _

"If a teacher called out my name, say that I'm on my way."

"_Alright. Oh! While we're at it, let's talk about the places to go on the second day." _

"Sure, want to go to that sushi restaurant you were talking about back then? What's it called?"

"_You mean Chojiro? Sure, just the two of us?" _

"Why? What about Totsuka and Kawasaki?"

"_Well, if that's what you want but I'm just saying I want to...uh be alone with you for a while. Is that bad?" _

"I...guess not?" The conversation turned a little awkward until Hikigaya changed the subject and were just discussing mundane things such as the classes he had missed for the past few days and how much he was struggling, especially in math. Unknown to our protagonist, the mother and daughter were listening to his conversation with the policewoman looking at him from the rear-view mirror while the Fire Queen turned around and both saw his happy expression. What surprised the blonde girl is that his eyes didn't look like a dead fish. They looked normal.

"He's pretty handsome, isn't he?" Her mother whispered that the loner couldn't hear.

"Gross! Mom!" She whispered back with a look of disgust.

"But he is. His eyes can turn rotten and then go back to normal. It's like he's a guy who can please any girl's preferences."

"Is there really one normal person who wanted a boy with dead-fish eyes?"

"Everyone is different, Yumiko."

"Whatever, so how do you know Hikio?"

"Is that his name? He got into an accident and I'm the one who took him to a hospital. After that, we sort of bump into each other quite often and now here we are."

"Is that so?"

"Okay, see you there." They heard Hikigaya saying goodbye indicating that the call ended, so they went back into the silent, awkward atmosphere until her mother spoke.

"So, how was your left arm?"

"Oh, it's doing good. As long as I don't move it recklessly, It'll heal back before you know it." He answered while clutching his left forearm.

"That's a relief. Anyway, were you talking to your girlfriend?" The policewoman asked with a smirk on her face.

"She's not my girlfriend." He answered indifferently.

"Oh, it IS a girl, hehe."

"But she's not my girlfriend." The loner and the policewoman had a lengthy conversation while Yumiko just stared at her window until they reached the train station. The two students of Sobu High went out of the police car and grabbed their luggage from the trunk. Before Hikigaya went inside the station, The policewoman called to him.

"Hey, Hikio!"

"My name is Hikigaya, Hikigaya Hachiman."

"Oh...nah Hikio sounds better."

"Ugh, what do you want?"

"I'm saying this once," She suddenly whispered so Hikigaya leaned closer to the car window. "What you did back there when you helped those people. It caused you to get someone's attention. Someone you wished you never did."

"Who are you talking about?" He asked, a little nervous by her serious tone.

"You'll know him once you meet him. Don't worry, he works with us in the police department. But..."

"But?"

"... You have my condolences."

* * *

Finally! It's time for the Kyoto arc! And this chapter is longer than I thought. But don't expect another chapter as long as this. I can't promise you all on consistencies. Also, I'm going to write a new chapter of this before I go back to **"A Certain Scientific Loner"** which I want you to please read that and leave a review. So yeah, get ready for chapter 5!

Thank you for reading this chapter. Please leave a review as your opinions will help me make this story better.


	5. Chapter 5: The Value of History and Myth

Hello everyone, it's me still kicking. Let me say this right now that the news of COVID-19 is literally taking a toll on my mental health. Each news whether good or bad just make my anxiety grew and it distracted me from writing. My message is not to ignore the news but to take a break from it. Sometimes, you need to relax and have fun outdoors or indoors (if you're in quarantine or lockdown). It is best that you don't focus too much on bad things and just enjoy your life to the fullest. Stay strong, stay healthy. We are in this together. This pandemic will disappear eventually sooner or later. We just have to wait and do our part.

Phew! Now with that out of the way. Let's get into the reviews!

_bosdicha: I don't think a hurt/comfort tag is necessary. Yes, there will be a chapter where its main focus is his suffering and all that but in the end, it's not exactly the most important focus of the story._

_jargax: Thank you for liking this. Your review was helpful to the chapter_

_cell: Don't worry, that was just a comedy skit. No need to take that seriously_

_Mr. N0Name: When I started this fanfic, I can see the problems with how awkward the writing was. I'm still getting used to the third person view story but I'm glad that you acknowledged my improvement._

_Shadbin10: Geez, you don't have to be so harsh but thank you for sharing your opinion._

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Oregairu series as it is respectfully owned by the author and studios.**

* * *

The loner just stared at the policewoman known as Miura Yumiko's mother after she gave him terrifying news about the mystery person. Hikigaya Hachiman was always thinking about this mystery person and what his/her motives are in hiding the hero, "Isato". He would come up with possibilities that he could think of no matter how nonsensical his theories reached. Thinking optimistically, Hikigaya's first possibility was that the mystery person hid his identity because he is a loner and the person didn't want to disrespect his position as one but that probability is less than zero since the mystery person wouldn't go so far as to not let detectives interview Hikigaya about the "Isane" case and the recent restaurant incident. That incident turned into a very serious case as the leader of the group of delinquents is the son of a CEO of a company, and the leader committed more serious crimes than that incident. Hikigaya expected that detectives would knock on the door and asked questions about it but once again, none showed up as the case was closed and they sent that group to prison. However, he did hear that the leader got out after his father paid all the charges.

And that leads to the more realistic possibility, that the loner is being targeted by criminals and he's kept hidden from the public and reports in order to protect him. That scared Hikigaya because for someone to have a grudge that person will try to kill him, torture him, or even get his family and close friends involved. The more he thought about how possible that might be, the more he is becoming more afraid of what would happen to him and others. He was glad that the police department exists to protect innocent individuals such as him.

However, his view of the police department might've been shattered in an instant from this policewoman's statement. Instead of being targeted by criminals, he was targeted by someone from the same constituted body that enforces law, ensures safety, health, and possessions of citizens, and prevents crime and civil disorder. The very same agency that citizens around the world trust to strengthen justice and safety in their societies.

"H-hold on a second," The loner stuttered. "What do you mean by that? What does that person want with me?"

"I told you, you'll know him once you meet him." The policewoman answered with a sigh. "Don't let that bother you for now. You got a school trip to enjoy and a girl to keep you occupied. I promise that idiot won't go too far on you."

"How can I enjoy my trip after you gave such a bombshell?"

"Just ignore that and have fun. It's even better if you have someone with you to have fun with."

"How are you so sure that I won't just freak out and have a mental breakdown?"

"Because that's what I do. Police work is serious business despite the low crime rate. I have my fair share of experience in stopping serious crimes and during those incidents, I learned one thing: You don't know when will life punches your gut. The only thing I can do is keep my gut muscles relaxed rather than tensing it up. What's the point of tensing yourself all over when you don't know when that punch come at you? You'll just get tired and your muscles will hurt even more."

"...I see." Hikigaya said with a look of realization.

"So just have fun as much as you can. Get crazy! It's the only thing that a normal teenager would do." She said with a wink and Hikigaya responded with a smile.

"Thanks..." He bowed.

"Uhuh. Now get going, I don't want Yumiko suspecting us to have an affair or something. See ya, Hikio!" She closed the windows and finally left after noticing that her daughter was watching inside the station. Miura Yumiko couldn't hear their conversation, but she could tell that from their expressions, they were discussing a serious topic. Meanwhile, our protagonist contemplated her words and cleared his mind. He doesn't like doing normie things such as having fun in a school trip or taking ridiculous amounts of pictures but if that's what he needs to enjoy himself before the inevitable encounter then he would gladly do it. Or rather he would gladly tolerate it to distract himself even if he gets a painful headache.

"Gotta make the most out of it." He said as he finally went inside the station. He saw hundreds of second-year students along with Sagami, Totsuka, Kawasaki and even Zaimokusa and the train that they will ride to get to Kyoto. The loner noticed Hiratsuka standing in front of his classmates doing a roll call.

"Hikigaya...Hikigaya?" She called out his name.

"Here." Hikigaya answered behind her and the homeroom teacher yelped. She turned around to see her lone student with his usual stoic expression and a noticeable scar on his right cheek.

"Don't scare me like that!" Hiratsuka shouted and punched his gut.

"Gah!" He grunted. "S-sorry..."

"Just get in line." She said as she went back to finishing the roll call. Hachiman walked towards Sagami and the group to greet them, but something stopped him. He noticed someone that the loner never thought he would approach again after being kicked out of that club. Her appearance is still the same no matter how many times he glanced at her in the classroom: Light orange hair tied in a loose bun on the side; peach-reddish eyes; and her cheery, outgoing aura is still the same as ever as she talks to Totsuka.

Yuigahama Yui, former clubmate and now a stranger to Hikigaya Hachiman.

"Hikigaya!" Minami noticed him and called out while waving.

"Yo." He said while he's still staring at Yuigahama. "So why is she...?"

"Sorry we didn't tell you before," She said while closing her hands together and bowing her head. "We were about to be a four-member group but yesterday at the last minute, Yui asked us to join since Hayama's group were full and so was everyone else's."

"Is that so? Then it's fine, I guess."

"Are you sure? After what happened-"

"You don't need to take that seriously. I'm over with it since I have you now."

"Eh?!" The brown-haired girl gasped at that with her face burning red.

"Sorry, I mean that I have someone to be a true friend." He said it nonchalantly while waving his hand.

"R-right." She stuttered.

"Alright, it's time to hop on the train," Hiratsuka exclaimed to the class. "When we get to Kyoto, I wanna see you brats have fun and go all out. Got it!"

"Yes sensei!" The class shouted except for Hikigaya and Kawasaki who didn't respond.

"Alright, get in there and show Kyoto who's boss!"

"YEEAAAHHH!"

"Early in the morning and they're already wasting their energy," Hachiman said with a scowl. "Damn normies."

"While I still don't like that mindset of yours," Kawasaki said while closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. "I have to agree with you."

"Don't be such a downer, Hikigaya." Minami intervened and suddenly grabbed the loner's arm, surprising him. "Come on, let's go!"

"O-oi, don't just-"

"Nope! Not letting go!" She said as she clung to his arm and dragged him inside the train while ignoring Hachiman's dispute.

"_Woman, you are aware that I am a world-class loner with years of experience that could rival the biggest losers in this dimension. I may have been enlightened of the dark side of youth and society and for long I have mastered the ways of cynicism and see the world through logic and realism, HOWEVER, I'm still a teenage male with hormones still remained in my body. Do you understand? What I'm trying to say is don't crush my arm between your breasts! Or else I might get the wrong idea and I might be knocking at death's door any minute." _Hachiman screamed in his mind as he felt the soft human body part delicate for women. Minami's breasts aren't as big as someone like Yuigahama's but it is big enough to give a nice, soft sensation to get any guys' hormones boiling, including Hachiman himself.

"I-is this also part of the Laws of Boobitation?... As expected of Newton." He mumbled.

"What's that?" The brown-haired girl asked in confusion.

"Nothing." While the "couple" was deciding where to sit, the popular clique is having their own troubles.

"So what do we do about the seating arrangement?" Yuigahama asked the clique.

"Does it matter?" Hayama answered while putting his bag on a rack.

"Dibs on the window seat!" Miura exclaimed while carrying her heavy luggage and Hayama offered a helping hand. "Thanks, Hayato!"

"Hmmm..." Meanwhile, the orange-haired girl is still contemplating.

"Come on, Yui, Ebina." The Fire Queen called them to sit with her.

"Then! Hina can sit there and Tobecchi next to-" Yuigahama was interrupted by Ebina pushing her to the seat she pointed at.

"Nah, you get in there," Ebina said as she pushed her down at the sit. "I'll sit here and Kawasaki-san sits facing me."

"Eh? Um no, I'll go find a seat somewhere-" Kawasaki wanted to refuse but Ebina persisted as she grabbed her arm.

"What should we do?" Totsuka asked the "couple" with Hachiman just stared at the clique along with Minami who is still hugging his arm.

"Let's go to the far back." The loner answered. "I don't want to get in the middle of whatever the hell these idiots doing."

"I'm okay with that!" Minami said while hugging his arm tighter, which made Hachiman flinched and his cheek blushed.

"First of all, let go of me." He said to her with a stoic expression, although the red on his cheek is noticeable by the two companions. In the end, the brown-haired girl complied.

"Sorry." She apologized with a smile and scratching her cheek.

And thus, the three-hour-long trip to Kyoto has begun. The Sobu High School students relaxed on their seats as the excitement filled the train and Hachiman's group is no exception. Totsuka, Minami and even the loner converse with each other about Kyoto and the things to do there. Hachiman's worries about the mystery person slowly diminished and almost forgot about it. Almost.

"_You have my condolences." _

The words of the policewoman still lingered in his mind. She really picked a bad timing to say those words on the day of this school trip. The game that the mystery person created might be a lot more dangerous than he previously speculated due to adding the fact that the person is part of the police department. He saw news and articles about corrupt politics and agencies hiding in the dark worldwide. Some have their evil deeds exposed to the public while others remain as conspiracies and others proved their innocence. For a pathetic high school student such as Hachiman to enter a world of corruption and adults so early is beyond comprehension. He wondered if society's unfairness could go to that length but he already knew the answer.

"_Society is already a messed up structure. And humanity adapted in its environment." _Hachiman said in his mind. Truly, society is not perfect, but humans are able to live in its conditions into a normal habitat for them.

Adaptability, one of the most powerful abilities humans inherited throughout time. Hikigaya, of course, has those traits as he already adapted in the changes in his school life and to others and now, he will adapt to the changes of whatever the world will give him.

...

And then **2 hours have passed **

"Hachiman..." The angelic tennis player who is at the window seat mumbled in his sleep. Some students fell asleep while others are still talking to each other or playing card games. Our protagonist, who sat in the middle, is still awake not because he has more energy to keep his eyes open, but the situation he's in now causes him to be in a state of panic. As Totsuka was sleeping while mumbling his name and other nonsense, Minami is also sleeping but she did something sinful and unforgiving...

and it's that she is resting on his shoulder.

"_I know I said that I should adapt but can a normal teenage male adapt in THIS?!" _The loner internally voiced out his anxiety and then he realized something. "Oh wait, I'm not normal. I'm just pathetic and a loser."

"Hachi..." Minami mumbled in her sleep and it made him flinched. Two beautiful girls... no, one beautiful boy and one beautiful girl...An ANGEL and a beautiful girl dreaming about Hachiman. It's like something out of a harem series. Hachiman is glad that they sat on the far back or else he might face the wrath of the normies who dreamed of this situation happening to them. He wished to shove Minami off him but that would be disrespectful and not gentleman-like so he let this go for now and closed his eyes hoping to get some sleep. Unknown to the loner, a certain orange-haired girl is approaching their proximity with a tired expression.

"_God, that was harder than I thought," _Yuigahama thought while she sat on an aisle. _"Tobecchi got scared out of his wits by Kawasaki sitting next to him that he couldn't keep a convo going at all. As for Hina..." _

"Hey! Hey! Hear me out. Which is the sub: window seat or aisle?" Ebina asked Kawasaki, who was trying to ignore her while resting her chin.

"_Hina's going even crazier than usual..." _The orange-haired girl then took out her cellphone and dialed a number.

"_Hello, Yuigahama-san?" _

"Yahallo... Yukinon." Yuigahama said on the phone with a sigh.

"_Is something wrong? Is it about the request?" _Yukinoshita asked.

"Yeah...It's a lot harder than I thought."

"_It's okay, Yuigahama-san. This is only the beginning. Let's use Kyoto's landmarks to get them closer." _

"Okay! Soooo how's it going?"

"_I'm fairly well as always. My classmates are very noisy in the excitement of this trip but it's fine ." _

"Ah, I can hear them shouting from the phone."

"_Yes, they're quite bothersome. I thought they would be more ladylike to not act like children, but in the end, this happened." _

"It's because we're going to Kyoto! You got me excited after telling me about the...uhh...umm," Yuigahama looked up and held her chin. "Ayakashikama?"

"_Arashiyama_." Yukinoshita corrected her.

"Yeah! That one! And also-"

"_Excuse me, Yukinoshita-san?" _A female voice interrupted on the phone. _"May I talk to you about the arrangements?" _

"_Please wait a moment." _Yukinoshita whispered, but Yuigahama heard it. _"Sorry Yuigahama-san, we'll discuss this later." _

"Oh, okay!" And the call ended. The orange-haired girl sighed once more and turned to her right to see the three companions sleeping although unknown to her, Hikigaya is awake the whole time and pretended to sleep as he heard her talking on the phone. It's really difficult to sleep when two beauties are beside him.

"Hikki..." She mumbled while staring at him and then looked at the scars on his hands. Yuigahama felt like each time she turned to look at him, a new scar appeared somewhere on him and this time, she saw a new scar which is on his right cheek. Each scar multiplied her guilt every time she looked at them.

Yuigahama knew that the Service Club was his sanctuary as well. A sanctuary where he finally learned that there could be a good side of this "youth" that he hated so much. And then the two clubmates expelled him from the club. She feared that his reformed image towards life might've been shattered from that one, venomous betrayal. Hikigaya won't get away with the same excuses to hide his injuries now. Yuigahama suspected that Hiratsuka, the homeroom teacher and his sort of personal counselor, will take action on helping the loner of whatever problems he has that would make him walk the path of delinquency.

"But I don't think I need to worry, huh?" She said as she then looked at Sagami who was still sleeping on his shoulder. The bubbly airhead never expected that Sagami would be the one to hold his hand at the time he needed the most. Sagami was enraged and afraid of him after the rooftop incident, but after the Athletics Festival, they were only neutral to each other and never talked after the event. That's why it was more surprising when Sagami approached him and asked him out on a "date". Whatever happened to the two of them, she felt relief that Hikigaya didn't falter. She couldn't be real friends with him but she can still act kind towards him because it's normal to do so toward a kind person such as him.

"_And as long as Yukinon isn't here, she won't get mad at me."_ Yuigahama nodded to herself and stood up to go back to her clique. After hearing her footsteps and her voice talking to her friends, Hikigaya opened one eye to look around.

"_Based on her conversation with the Ice Queen, They could be talking about a request," _The loner speculated. _"Not like it matters to me." _

"Hachi..."

"Hachiman..."

"Right, now I need to find a way to escape this dangerous trap." He mumbled as he searched for a way to get out or at least try to get used to his current situation while not waking up the two beauties.

* * *

"We're here!" Both Sagami and Totsuka shouted after going out of the train. Hikigaya and Kawasaki followed them with tired expressions and their backs slouched while carrying their own luggage. Ebina kept talking to the silvery blue-haired girl who was trying her best to answer glasses-wearing fujoshi with short replies until the train reached its destination. Hikigaya on the other hand, was stiff throughout in the train and no, not that kind of stiff. Our protagonist was just frozen in place sitting in the center of what every man would call Heaven but for him, it was Hell. He did his best to not give in to temptation while also not DYING from resisting it.

"I just got here and I'm already exhausted..." Hikigaya mumbled with a sigh.

"What a coincidence, so am I..." Kawasaki also mumbled with a sigh.

"I understand Kawasaki-san, but Hachiman got tired already?" Totsuka asked while tilting his head.

"L-let's just say there is something that kept me awake." The loner said while averting his eyes away, not noticing that Minami knew what he was talking about. Minutes before arriving in Kyoto, the brown-haired girl already woke up and realized that she was sleeping on Hachiman's shoulder and quickly stood up from her seat. She saw his sleeping face and whispered an apology before going to the restroom while blushing. Unknown to her, he was pretending to sleep and heard her apology.

"C-come on, Hikigaya! Let's take a picture." Minami stuttered while still blushing from that and dragged the loner once more.

"Oi, I don't like taking selfies." He denied her request while resisting her pulling his arm.

"This won't take long, I promise!" Minami said with a pout and the loner complied while sighing. They took pictures using her cellphone with just the two of them and then pictures of the entire group minus Yuigahama.

"Hikigaya, learn how to smile, will you?" She said in a disappointed tone. "And you too, Saki-chan..."

"My smile would curse the pictures." Hachiman said with his arms folded.

"Are you some kind of warlock or something?"

"Yes, my smile is one of my most powerful dark magic spells so don't expect me to smile without giving misfortune."

"Ugh, whatever. As for Saki-chan..."

"I-I tried my best didn't I?" Kawasaki said in embarrassment. The silvery blue-haired girl did smile, but it was obviously forced and in some of the pictures, her eyes darted away from the camera. In the last few pictures, she gave up and just folded her arms.

"Well...at least you look adorable trying your best." Minami complimented while looking at the pictures.

"Alright brats!" Hiratsuka called out to her students. "Get in line for the bus. We'll first go to the inn to unpack and then we go to Kyoto's landmarks so save your pictures for later. Got that?"

"Yes, sensei!" Most of her students replied, and the entire class got on the bus. It only took a few minutes to reach the inn and quickly unpacked their luggage in their respective rooms. The first place the students went to is the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, a Buddhist temple that is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Kyoto due to the temples's magnificent wooden stage that shows the beautiful landscape. Our protagonist and his class were busy admiring its ancient history and beauty while taking pictures.

"Again, will it kill you to smile on camera for once?" Minami asked, irritated by the pictures they had taken.

"And again, my smile would curse those pictures forever and bring misfortune." He rebutted.

"Just one smile?" She pleaded.

"No."

"What if I say that I like being cursed?"

"What kind of girl wants something scary like being cursed?"

"The kind of girl who wouldn't mind as long as her man is there to share those misfortunes."

"I feel sorry for that girl."

"Girls are a lot stronger than you think so she doesn't need your pity."

"...You're not backing down, are you?"

"Nope! We're gonna do one more time," She traced her mouth into a smile. "So smile!"

"Ugh, fine." He complied and the "couple" took a picture one more time with the temple in the background. In that picture, Minami linked arms with Hachiman and winked at the camera while smiling. Hachiman did smile, but it was so forced that people would think something was wrong with him.

"Yup. That picture is now cursed." He said with a blank expression.

"This is good!" She exclaimed while humming happily and then pulled his linked arm to drag him somewhere. "Let's go over there and take a picture!"

"What? We're doing more?"

"Of course we're doing more! And if the storage in my cellphone got full, we'll use yours okay?"

"You have got to be kidding me..." He murmured wearily and allowed the brown-haired girl to pull him somewhere. Meanwhile, Hayama and the clique along with some of the schoolmates watched their entire display of "affection".

"Damn, those two don't hold back on being all lovey-dovey, huh?" Ooka said with arms behind his head.

"Not like we can complain," Yamato spoke beside him. "They're just doing what they supposed to be doing as a couple."

"That's right!" Yuigahama said excitedly. " Come on, let's go to that spooky hall over there."

"The Zugui-do Hall, huh?" Hayama read the sign.

"It looks so dark inside..." Miura spoke, pretending to be afraid, and then suddenly clutched Hayama's arm. "I'm scared, Hayato~!"

"How about we go by pairs?" Yuigahama suggested.

"I'm gonna sit this one out." Ooka said while raising his hand.

"Same here," Yamato joined him. " I wanna buy some souvenirs."

"Oh okay!" Yuigahama waved at them and then approached Totsuka. "Sai-chan, can you come with me to that creepy hall?"

"Sure!" He agreed.

"Then, Yumiko and Hayato can go first, and then Tobecchi and Hina! The two of us will go last." The bubbly airhead suggested. "If we go in at different times, we can give them the chance to be alone."

* * *

"Wow, it's so pretty~!" Minami leaned over the wooden fence as she looked at the landscape. Hachiman and Minami are now at the main hall's large wooden viewing stage that juts out over the mountainside, looking at the beautiful view of the autumn leaves as they represent fall. The autumn leaves and green leaves of the trees made an astonishing color combination. The "couple" was convinced why the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple is a world heritage site in Japan and it's because of this wonderful view.

"Yeah, it is..." Hachiman also couldn't help but admire the beautiful scenery.

"Hey, Hikigaya." She called his name while still looking at the scenery.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"You're good at Japanese history, right?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Tell me about this place..."

"You mean its history?"

"Yup."

"Let's see..." He looked up to think of a short summary of the temple's history. "Well, it was founded in the early Heian period by a shogun named Sakanoue no Tamuramaro."

"Who was that?"

"He was a shogun who subjugated a group called Emishi due to their resistance against Japanese Emperors. It is said that the Tanabata festivals and parades in the Aomori Prefecture were popularized in remembrance of his campaign in subduing those tribal societies then living in the Tohoku region."

"What, seriously? That festival is for making wishes on a bamboo tree! Not making people remember something awful!"

"Uhuh. The general had come to this mountainside to hunt deer as an offering to the gods for his sick wife and met Enchin who carved the wooden figure of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. He lectured the general about life and all that and turned him into a profound devotee to Kannon and built a hall to properly enshrine the wooden statue of that goddess."

"Hunting for his wife...And then building this temple we see right now. I guess he wasn't exactly that bad..."

"You got something wrong there. While he founded this temple, another shogun named Tokugawa Iemitsu constructed the buildings that were standing today."

"Now who was he this time?"

"He basically crucified Christians, expelled all Europeans from Japan and closed the borders of this country."

"Oh, you mean that Isolation Policy, right?"

"Yup."

"Geez, people were screwed up back then, huh?"

"Hmph. Not like anything changed here in the present," He said while folding his arms. "People here are still screwed up for adapting to our government's bureaucracy and that's not even half of this idiots' problems."

"There you go again," Minami sighed. "So about this temple?"

"Oh right. Tokugawa Iemitsu actually rebuilt these buildings because they were once burned down in a fire. By his order, they reconstructed and restored most of the buildings during the 17th century, including the temple's three-story pagoda."

"Hmmmm..." Minami rested her head on her arms. "You think he did that for propaganda?"

"I don't remember," Hachiman held his chin. "Heian period was an era when arts and literature were popular and the Japanese in the past were religious in Shinto and Buddhism."

"If you were born in that era, you would've been the number one master in arts and literature."

"Of course I would. Learning Japanese History and Literature is like being proud of your blood as a Japanese, so I am a bona fide patriot."

"Heeeeh~? Even though you said things about people being screwed up because of the government?"

"That was about the cause of our citizens' downfall. This is culture we are talking about so it's different."

"Smartass."

"Yes, I am smart."

"Shut up!" Minami giggled while Hachiman smiled from their conversation until her tone suddenly shifted. "Hey, Hikigaya. If I was smarter, do you think I would find more friends like you?"

"That came out of nowhere. What's the matter?" The loner asked in confusion as he raised his eyebrow.

"Nothing," She shook her head. "It's just that... I was stupid back then before I met you. Always thinking of how to be more popular, having crushes on hot guys yet never made a move on any of them. It was because of me being an idiot that my so-called 'friends' backstabbed me. After the Athletics Festival, I convinced myself to start from square one. Who would've thought that it would start with you?"

Minami approached Hachiman and rested her head on his chest, surprising the loner.

"If I was smarter back then, would I be able to make friends with people like you?" She said as she looked down with her hands behind her back.

"...I don't know," He answered as he hesitated to hug her or pat her head but he refrained from doing so and continued to speak. " I'm the rarest being of the human species after all."

"Hahaha," She giggled and raised her head to look at him with a smile. "Yeah, I can't imagine another person like you."

"Sagami-san~! Hachiman~!" Both turned to look at Totsuka approaching them while waving at them and noticed he was with Hayama's clique along with Kawasaki following them. "It's so pretty!"

"That's some view," Ooka said with a smirk. "Sorry to ruin your moment, lovebirds."

"Oi, Ooka." Hayama scolded him with his signature fake smile. "Sorry about that."

"Um...no problem." Minami reassured him with a nervous tone. This is her first time talking to Hayama after the Cultural Festival. Meanwhile, Hachiman is looking at him skeptically which was noticed by the blonde prince and only responded with his flashy smile. Hayama then tilted his head to point at something to which the loner looked at the direction to see Ebina and Tobe.

"_Why is he pointing at those two?" _Hachiman analyzed what the blonde prince's action meant. Tobe and Ebina are talking to each other although it's just Tobe being annoying and loud while Ebina answered with short replies which the loner assessed that as a strange behavior from her. Ebina Hina is a crazy fujoshi who won't hesitate to speak about her preferences on Yaoi and sexual innuendos. But now...

"Woah! The view is like so big and cool! Right, Ebina-san!?" Tobe asked while enthusiastically pointing at the scenery.

"Yeah, it is. Especially since it's autumn season." Ebina answered with a smile. Her voice sounded tame...There was excitement in her tone but Hikigaya noticed it was rather forced. For some reason, the loner always listened to the clique's conversation before classes starts or during break times and he had his fair share of having a "conversation" with the glasses-wearing fujoshi. He could tell the difference in their tones only by a slight margin but the most important part of his observation is the facial expressions.

"_It's like someone glued a smile on her face. It doesn't look...natural"_ He thought as he analyzed her facial expression. Only he and Hayama are able to realize that unnatural smile. _"With that fact, along with Hayama pointing at those two could mean that there is a problem within his clique and the main source is-" _

"Hachiman! Let's take a picture." Totsuka interrupted his inner dialogue. "Come on, you too, Kawasaki-san."

"O-oi! Not you too!" Kawasaki whined as she was being pulled by both Totsuka and Ebina to take pictures.

"Speaking of pictures~." Minami said in a mischievous tone and he didn't miss that.

"Please, no." He pleaded.

"Remember to smile!" She grinned while giggling. He reluctantly followed her with a weary expression, not knowing that Miura has been staring at him for a while now.

* * *

**Nighttime, Back at the Inn **

"Crap, too tired." Hikigaya sighed while lying on the futon near to the balcony. He said to himself that he would gladly tolerate doing these "normie" activities in order to distract himself, however, he was this close into giving up all that and go back to being stressed out from the mystery person. Whenever they went into a different spot, Minami would ask him (A. K. A force him) to take selfies whether he gets tired or just annoyed. It was unknown to our protagonist why he couldn't refuse her. It's not like he would be frozen to death by an Icy glare, nor will he get punched in the gut nor will she do the puppy eyes. Although he expected her to pinch him that expectation somehow subsided and instead realize that she would actually annoy him into following her requests because that's what she had been doing every time he refused to take a selfie with her or the group.

"Hey, let's play some cards!" Tobe's loud voice was heard through the door. Unfortunately for Hikigaya, he will be sleeping with Hayama and his annoying "friends".

"_If someone told me that this is a torture room or some detention room, I would believe that right off the bat." _He internally voiced out his frustration and anger but those emotions soon disappeared because he found out that there is a silver lining to this "hell". As he thought of that, the door slid open to reveal Hayama, Tobe, and other roommates behind their backs but he didn't care about them because he saw the angel that could heal him.

"Wow, so this is our room?" Totsuka said while closing her hands together and went inside to look around until he saw Hikigaya. "Hachiman? You're here pretty quickly."

"I got tired already so want to go to sleep." The loner explained.

"Oh," the silver-haired angel realized that. "Sagami-san did drag you around a lot."

"I saw you two taking pictures and talking a lot," One roommate said. "You really went all out for this trip, huh?"

"It's more like Saga-chi went all out and Hikitani-kun just got pulled along," Tobe said with a smirk. "Like he's her pet or something! Ah, don't tell me that's like, your kink or something?!"

"No, it's not." Hikigaya quickly denied his claims and laid back down. It puzzled him why they suddenly talked to him despite his reputation. "I just can't refuse her no matter how annoying these so-called 'selfies' would get."

"Hohoo~?You're one hell of a boyfriend material," Another roommate said while sitting down on a futon. "Then again, Sagami-san is that pretty. Kinda see why you would force yourself to do all that just to hang out with her."

"I know right?" They all laughed, and Hikigaya's eye twitched in annoyance from that. He felt an emotion that is unknown to him when those extras started to compliment Sagami of her looks. This unknown emotion starts to bother him the longer they talked about her and so he stood up and wore his dark-greenish hood and went to the door.

"Ah, Hachiman? Where are you going?" Totsuka asked.

"Getting some coffee." That was his only answer before he left.

"Ya think he got jealous of us talking about his girl?" The roommate asked them.

"It's your fault you started fantasizing about her and some other weird crap." The other roommate scolded.

"What kind of weird crap was I spouting?"

"You went from saying "pretty" to getting into creepy details, bro."

"What? How's complimenting her earrings creepy?"

"Sometimes people freak out when you like, see something they didn't see." Tobe folded his arms.

"Earrings aren't that small to not notice. It's not weird."

"Bro, you then started talking about noticing her breast growing bigger."

"Hey, I think that was me, but I swear that her breast grew a little bigger. Like, after we found out that those two were dating."

"Did you have some supervision or something?" Hayama said between laughs. "Or maybe you were so focused on breasts that you started seeing things."

"Hey, don't look at me like I'm some kind of crazy, Hayato!" The roommate shouted and turned to Totsuka. "Let's ask Totsuka-san and see what she thinks."

"That's a good idea." The other roommate and Tobe nodded.

"Eh? Well..." The silver-haired boy held his chin with a finger. "I don't look at girls' breasts. It never comes to my mind when we talk about girls. As for that 'creepy details' thing...I don't really know a lot what girls think. I mean... I'm a guy after all."

"Ah," All of the roommates except Hayama made a look of realization. "I forgot, you're a guy. Damn it."

"Hmm?" Totsuka tilted his head while Hayama raised an eyebrow, both are confused by that statement.

* * *

"They don't have Maxx Coffee?" Hikigaya looked at the vending machine in misery from not seeing his favorite coffee brand anywhere inside. "I guess I have to go with this then..."

He pressed the buttons on the vending machine and waited for the can to fall. After getting the can of coffee, he sat on a couch and thought about what he felt earlier. The unfamiliar feeling disappeared, but he's still disturbed from that.

"_Just what was that."_ His inner monologue began. _"It was like that time at the restaurant when I first saw Komachi hanging out with that bug...No, this is different. It was like...When Sagami told me she was harassed, I lost my rational thinking and just acted violently. No, that was different, but it's also connected to this unknown feeling..." _

"_... Sagami...That girl...She is the source but why?" _He opened the can and sipped its contents. Before he could finish the drink, someone in front of him caught his eye. The loner didn't expect he would see her again after that. To him, it was almost as if they were separated for years now. All the "friendly" banter, and the comfortable air they both breathe in the sanctuary of the Service Club, were all static in his mind like it was just illusive images created from his imagination. She currently wears a light blue jacket with a fur collar; a pair of jeans; and her hair is tied into a ponytail. Overall, she still looks the same.

Yukinoshita Yukino, president of the Service Club, and the one known as the "Ice Queen".

"_What is she doing?"_ He asked in his mind as he continued to drink the coffee while observing her. Yukinoshita seems to be focused on something as her eyes stared intently at what's in front of her. Hikigaya looked from her direction and soon found his answer as he saw a souvenir shop and she's staring at the Pan-san plushies.

"_Figures..." _And with that, finished his drink and tried to stand up but not without looking at her until she turned her head to his direction.

Silence... That was the only thing emanating in the area as they only stared at each other. Hikigaya doesn't look bothered by this situation he's in. There is no pain, anger, anxiety, nor even positive emotions indicating on his face. Just pure indifference. Meanwhile, Yukinoshita gives her signature icy glare that would make anyone's spines shiver except for a few individuals. Her disdain and hatred are clearly evident by this and the loner can see that she's not holding back. Unknown to him, however, the Ice Queen is losing this staring contest, but she didn't want to show her falter to him and continued to maintain her glare. Why is she losing? It was not because of his expression of indifference to this situation, nor was her lack of energy to keep up. It's because she's not only staring at his eyes, but also the scar on his cheek. She looked down to see more scars on his hands. She already deduced that those weren't from a cooking accident or some little incident that her friend Yuigahama mentioned during one of the club hours. The two biggest hints are the giant scar in each of the centers of his backhand and of course, the scar on his cheek.

"_That was not from a simple accident," _She deducted. The longer she stared, the more she faltered so she turned her back on him and walked away.

"_Good night..." _Hikigaya said in his thoughts as he watched her leave until she stopped. Yukinoshita turned around and walked towards him with her arms folded.

"Ara, it certainly is a surprise to see you here of all places." She greeted.

"It really is..." He responded.

"Hiratsuka-sensei told me that you forfeit the contest. Why is that?"

"What contest?"

"I appreciate if you would stop pretending to forget. It was only two weeks ago that I declared the continuation. Surely, your brain capacity is enough to recollect a memory that important."

"Well then, sorry that I don't have that much of brain capacity. I seriously don't know what you're talking about." He said with his eyebrow raised. Yukinoshita was about to retort but after looking closely at his expression, she concluded that he wasn't lying. That made her irritated even more.

"The contest on who can help more people." Her hands closed into a tight fist. Hikigaya looked up at the ceiling to think for a few seconds until he finally remembered.

"Oh, that. I forfeit the match~." He said in a bored tone.

"And I'm asking you why..."

"Because I don't care? Why are you taking that contest seriously?"

"I don't need to tell you my reason."

"Then I guess I won't participate in this contest of yours."

"Is your tardiness the reason why-"

"Yup. I'm sincerely glad you still know me well."

"Sarcasm won't get you anywhere. From my previous observations, it only led you to ignorance and even more rottenness. "

"It's not sarcasm, I'm just too lazy to participate. Besides, it's not like I got anything to prove."

"Yes, you do. This competition will prove who is better between the two of us."

"Am I some sort of rival now?

"I see you as my enemy."

"Geez, you sound like you're going to kill me. As if you're not inhuman enough with that icy glare of yours, you just had to say all that. " Hikigaya stood up and toss the can into the trash bin.

"How rich coming from an inhuman rot such as you," Yukinoshita scowled. "This is exactly why we expelled you from the club."

"_Is it, really?" _Hikigaya doubted her reasoning once more. He was sure that he didn't do wrong to them. Sure, he committed a few social suicides but since when did those actions affect the two former clubmates? Especially Yukinoshita, who faced some similar childhood struggles as he experienced.

"_I witnessed a similar situation, but I just stood back and watched." _

Hayama's words at the summer camp echoed in his mind.

"_Even if you used the lowest means possible, you made the preparations for it...So even if no one can praise you for it, so long as some good came of it, they can forgive you." _

And so was Yukinoshita's. That moment after they've dealt with Tsurumi's situation felt like Hikigaya and the Ice Queen had common ground. He felt that they could relate to each other more after Hayama subtly told him a bit of his childhood with Yukinoshita. That feeling grew stronger during the Cultural Festival as he once saw her as a strong, smart and talented individual only to realize that even she has weaknesses when she got sick for overworking. Some of those weaknesses are common for everyone, while some are just unknown and only meant for her.

"Then keep this in mind. I'm still the cynical, rotten loser you kicked out. So forget the stupid contest already." That was the only words that came out of his mouth and silence once again filled the room. He couldn't see her face since he turned his back. The loner imagined every possible facial expression she is wearing right now: she could be even more irritated; or felt indifferent to his answer; maybe a shocked expression; or even a look of amusement.

"Is that so. Such a shame that you quit the competition. And here I thought I could show you my achievements." That was all she said before walking away but not without bumping into someone.

"Ah, I'm sorr-" This girl is wearing a white sweater, red skirt, and black stockings. She tried to apologize but she stopped immediately after recognizing the Ice Queen. "Yuki...noshita-san..."

"Sagami-san..." Yukinoshita mumbled as the two girls stared at each other until she sighed and walked away. The brown-haired girl looked at her retreating form, puzzled but at the same time angry by her presence. She looked in front to see the loner staring at her.

"Hikigaya?"

"Yo, Sagami." He was about to ask what she's doing here but someone caught his eye. A black long-haired woman wearing a brown coat, black pants and sunglasses. The woman is walking suspiciously as she held the collar of the coat close to her face as if she's in hiding. However, that hiding tactic failed miserably as both Hachiman and Minami immediately recognized her.

"Hiratsuka-sensei?" Both asked in sync and the teacher froze mid-step. Hiratsuka Shizuka is sweating nervously as she cursed her two students' observations when she was so close to going out of the front entrance. She sighed and turned around.

"Y-yo..." That was the most pathetic greeting the loner ever witnessed in his teacher.

"Don't steal my signature greeting." He scolded.

"Since when the hell did you own a slang?" She asked with an irritated expression.

"I did not. I mastered it to the point that it became my own."

"Tch, whatever. Since you both caught me, I'm going to take you two somewhere." The homeroom teacher smirked, which made the two students confused by her statement.

* * *

A teacher is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue. To guide them in becoming a model citizen for the future of that context, a teacher should be professional, and act properly as a paragon for students when living independently and accordingly. A teacher can have his/her own quirks to socialize with others and make education more interesting. However, vulgar attitude and distasteful habits are unacceptable and will not qualify to work in a school filled with "innocent" youngsters and proper etiquette.

Sadly, this homeroom teacher fits an average to above percent of those awful traits.

"Um, why are we coming with you?" Minami asked Hiratsuka. They are now riding at the backseat of a taxi in the middle of the night.

"I told you. To pay you guys off so you won't tell anyone about this." The teacher answered while removing her sunglasses.

"And where are we going?" Hachiman asked with a wary look.

"Hnhnhn...We are going," Hiratsuka paused for dramatic effect with a smirk but it only made the loner cringe and the brown-haired girl confused. "to a secret location..."

Minami looked a little anticipated while Hachiman was just skeptical of what this Christmas cake has in store for them. After a few minutes of silence in the taxi, Hiratsuka paid the driver and they went out of the vehicle to look at the place. The brown-haired girl looked in wonder while Hachiman just has a blank expression and then looked at the homeroom teacher who had a huge grin on her face as if he understand the wonders of this place.

They're standing outside of a ramen shop.

"...That's it?" Minami wore a disappointed look. "I thought maybe we're going to a spa or some mind-blowing place."

"As much as I love ramen," Hachiman sighed. "I expected a little more...well what Sagami just said."

"W-what?" Hiratsuka is surprised by her students' disappointment, especially Hachiman's. "I thought even Hikigaya would understand how awesome this place is..."

"Well, this is free food so I can't complain." He shrugged and looked at Minami. "Have you tried ramen?"

"Of course I do," She answered with an annoyed look. "Why do you sound like I'm some spoiled brat who never tried common food?"

"But you are spoiled bra- AW!" His statement cost him his ear being pulled by her.

"I always eat ramen with my family back when I was a kid," She explained. "After entering middle school, I stopped coming to ramen shops."

"Why?"

"Because I thought that slurping ramen is like, kinda gross for a girl to do that." Minami touched her chin with a finger.

"Gghh!" Hiratsuka took a mental hit from that but no one noticed her pain.

"I didn't know girls think of ramen like that," He said. "Girls are much more of a pain than I thought.

"Hey, it makes sense, doesn't it?" Minami argued. "Who would want to see a girl disgustingly slurping up food? It's unladylike"

"Gah!" Another painful hit to the single teacher's heart.

"It's not like it's an absolute rule or mannerism in eating. That's just people's opinions and just drama queens." He retorted. Hiratsuka's spirits seemed to be lifted a little by his argument. "But yeah, I can kinda see why it's not befitting of a woman to eat in a place like this.

"BleahH!" Only to be brutally stabbed by his finishing words. The two students looked at Hiratsuka who was down on her knees and somehow coughing up blood.

"Sensei?!" Minami bent down to check on the teacher.

"O-oi, are you okay?" Hachiman also bent down, only to be met with an uppercut to his chin and fell down in pain.

"DO I LOOK OKAY?!" The crying homeroom teacher yelled, getting the passers-by's attention. "L-let's...just eat ramen... Okay?"

"Y-yes, sensei..." Only Minami responded with a terrified expression while Hachiman is rolling around the ground grunting in pain. After calming down the teacher and the loner recovered from that uppercut, they now settled inside the ramen shop and sat on the chairs at the counter with the loner in the middle, Hiratsuka at his left side and Minami at his right. Hachiman helped Minami recommending a ramen dish while Hiratsuka already called the chef to pick the order with her eyes sparkling. It only took a few minutes to receive their orders as they engaged in a conversation while eating.

"Wait, so you two aren't dating?" The teacher asked them in shock.

"Yes." Both the students answered in sync.

"Then why didn't you denied those rumors?" She asked and the brown-haired girl looked at Hachiman, indicating that he's the one with the answer.

"Have we ever taken down any rumors about us?" He answered while picking up a pork cutlet with his chopsticks. "Taking down rumors is like fighting against the air itself and you can't fight the air so might as well breathe on it.

"And here comes your pessimistic speech," The teacher sighed. "Oh well, at least there are some people who knew the truth. Better than just everyone believing in baseless rumors. So you two are just friends?"

"Yes."

"Huh...That pisses me off even more!" Hiratsuka gritted her teeth and snapped her chopsticks in anger. "Just friends, my ass! You two were all lovey-dovey before and after we arrived here in Kyoto!"

"Do we?" Minami asked in pure confusion.

"It's not my fault," Hachiman explained. "Sagami has been dragging me around and doing exhausting activities."

"We're just taking pictures and looking around the shrines." Minami retorted. "How was that exhausting? And besides, you were clearly enjoying explaining to me about each of the shrines' histories."

"I admit that I enjoyed talking about history, however, my mouth is exhausted from moving and my throat lost its voice."

"You liar! How come you're still talking, huh?"

"It's because I healed it by drinking a can of coffee earlier. Sadly, I couldn't find Maxx Coffee so I had to go with some generic brand and only recovered sixty percent of my larynx."

"Then will this ramen heal it completely?"

"Perhaps, it hasn't been tested yet so this is perfect for performing trials." Sagami laughed by their exchange and Hachiman could only smile. However, the heartwarming atmosphere was immediately destroyed by a dark and destructive aura emanating from someone.

"Hehehehe..." Hiratsuka laughed menacingly. "Friends, huh? I-I see..."

"Umm...S-sensei." The brown-haired girl stuttered in fear while Hachiman leaned away from the demonic Christmas cake.

"**Shut up and eat"** Somehow, Hiratsuka's voice became demonic and steam came out of her mouth as she said that. Her eyes glowed red and she snapped her second chopsticks. The aura filled the entire ramen shop and everyone's spines shivered, some of them finished their food quickly and ran away. All the people outside near the place just ran off as they felt like death awaits them. The two students only nodded frantically before chowing down on their respective bowls of ramen. After she fully calmed down, the homeroom teacher then started talking to them about work and the school trip.

"Have you all bought souvenirs?" She asked.

"Not yet, it's only the first day so we were more focused on having fun." Minami answered before slurping the noodles.

"Komachi gave me a list of things to buy so I won't think too much of it." He answered.

"List?" Both female companions asked.

...

_**Night before the school trip **_

_A spotlight emanated above a girl sitting on a couch, looking down at the man prostrating himself in shame. Her expression is filled with malice and superiority despite being younger than the man as she folded her arms and crossed her legs. Her eyes filled with contempt due to the pain she felt when her older brother regarded his electronic communication device more important than his own little sister. _

"_Well?" She asked in a low and menacing voice. _

"_Forgive me," The older brother said desperately. "Please forgive your onii-chan for his idiocy." _

_In truth, Hachiman has been apologizing since last night after finishing his text conversation with Minami. It was as if he was another person when he started texting. Like the cellphone consumed his thoughts and scratched out all of his priorities into immersing himself in the digital conversation. He tried apologizing in her room but he was ignored until everyone fell asleep. In the morning, he woke up earlier than his little sister to prepare breakfast and when she woke up, the first thing she saw when she went to the dining room was her older brother prostrated to her while the food was placed on the table. She ignored his apology and ate breakfast. He then texted her to apologize only to be ignored and not received a single reply from her. This is the older brother's final chance to be reconciled with his sister before going on the school trip. Who knows what Komachi would look like once he came back home. He's still wearing his school uniform because he was so focused on apologizing, he forgot to take a bath and even packed his things for the trip _

"_So?" Komachi spoke with the same menacing tone. "Why should I accept your apology?" _

"_I'll do anything!" He said as his desperation grew. "I'll buy you gifts, cook your food, or even do all of your homework! So please forgive me!" _

"_Hmmm..." She held her chin to think. "Then first, stand up." _

"_What?" _

"_I said stand up." He followed her orders and stood up straight. Komachi reached out a pink folded paper to him and he took it. _

"_What's this?" He asked. _

"_hnhnhn. Komachi's recommended souvenir list!" She said as her normal cheery attitude returned while his stoic expression also came back as he inspected the paper and unfolded it. _

"_In third place!" She said as she nodded him to read the item at the bottom of the list. _

"_...Raw yatsuhashi." _

"_As long as it's authentic or the original kind, it's fine with me! Now in second?!" _

"_...Facial oil blotting paper." _

"_Get some for mom, too! Now, what's in first?!" She said and her older brother read the top of the list that only says: "Find out after these ads". He raised an eyebrow at that and looked at his sister with the same stoic expression. _

"_Well, what is it?" He asked. _

"_The best souvenirs..." She stood up with her arms behind her back and gave him the brightest smile he had seen from her. "Would be your precious memories!" _

"_So cheeky and so cute..." _

_... _

"You were too busy texting?" Hiratsuka asked. She couldn't believe that someone like our protagonist would be enjoying texting someone.

"Sorry," Minami apologized. "I distracted you from your family."

"It's fine," he said as he waved it off. "It was my fault for succumbing to that devilish device."

"Sounds like you two had a fun time texting each other." The teacher said before drinking a glass of water. "DAMN IT, YOU TWO ARE FRIENDS AND YOU'VE GONE THAT FAR!?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hachiman asked while leaning back away from her. Although the Christmas cake emanated a depressing aura, it quickly dissipated as the three engaged in a nice conversation while eating. Just when the loner thought that the atmosphere turned back to normal, Hiratsuka asked a shocking question.

"So Sagami. Do you know where Hikigaya got those injuries at that time?"

"Eh?" Minami gasped by that question. Hachiman already guessed that the homeroom teacher deduced that his close friend knew about his actions. The brown-haired girl just stared at her half-finished bowl of ramen until he answered for her.

"Didn't I tell you it's from-"

"You expect me to believe that those are from a cooking accident or from your cat?" Hiratsuka immediately shut down his argument. "You got into some sort of dangerous situation, didn't you?"

"...yes" He answered truthfully and Minami stared at him with widened eyes.

"What happened?"

"Let's just say I started a hobby of beating up delinquents..."

"I see... So you are that 'Isato', huh?" Her statement shocked the two students. She whispered for only the two to hear it. They were glad that this restaurant is noisy and packed with customers.

"How did you-" He asked only to be interrupted by the teacher.

"Did you forget that I'm your guidance counselor? I have to observe my students even if I couldn't see their problems some of the time but observing you is a lot easier. The biggest hint I got was the day after you were expelled from the Service Club. When first period started, the moment I entered the classroom I already saw something suspicious: You, with the first injury on your hand, and Sagami glancing at you often during class."

"Sagami?" He looked at the blushing girl beside him who was embarrassed that she was caught from day one. She turned away from the two to hide her embarrassment which left the loner and the homeroom teacher staring at her until Hiratsuka continued.

"A week later, rumors starting flying around about you two going on a date which was strange considering that you two haven't interacted with each other since the festival. Even more so that most of your interactions weren't so sweet and friendly. Four days later, you two displayed how close your relationship is and that was the day after that robbery incident. And then you asked me for advice about martial arts. And last but not the least, the one that confirmed my suspicions..."

"That sushi restaurant incident." He answered with a facepalm. He guessed that after school, she saw Sagami going to the direction of his house and it was the day after that incident so it all connected.

"Wrong," She denied his guess and the two students looked at her in surprise, wondering what confirmed her suspicions. "It was one of your juniors. A 1st-year student. Did you know that a new member joined the Service Club?"

"No. Did you think I care about the Service Club anymore?" He denied. "So what about that 1st year?"

"She was one of the customers of that convenience store." The teacher folded her arms. "She was there at the robbery incident. Isshiki Iroha, do you know her?"

"Isshiki Iroha?" The loner held his chin to remember if there is someone like that until it clicked his memory.

"_Iroha? Iroha, was that a gunshot?!" _

"Yeah, the girl with shoulder-length brown hair." He answered. "I only heard her name from when she was calling someone on her phone when the criminals started shooting. That's all I know."

"I see," Hiratsuka nodded. "Well, this girl was a manager of the soccer club until she resigned and asked me to get her in the Service Club. Her reason is that someone helped her in a bad situation and she was inspired by his actions so she wants to find a way to help others like him until she heard about the club. I was suspicious from that so I made her spill the beans before letting her in."

"What made her suspicious?" Minami asked.

"Two things: One, she's like you," The homeroom teacher pointed at her with a smug look. "That girl is a sly fox who acts all cutesy for attention."

"Hoh, that does sound like Sagami." He mocked.

"Oh, shut up." Minami tried to pinch his side but the loner resisted as he held both of her wrist. They both stopped by Hiratsuka coughing to get back their attention.

"As I was saying. Her look of determination surprised me when she explained her reasons to join. Another thing that made her suspicious was that I checked her home address, and that's when I realized the convenience store where the robbery happened was the closest store to her house."

"...But why the Service Club?" He asked, confused at the 1st year's decision.

"She knew that you were once part of the club so she figured that you became a hero from helping others there." Hiratsuka didn't finish her explanation as he fully understood that.

"Isshiki, was it?" Hachiman spoke. "That girl has such a flawed view of heroes. They don't just develop from going to a club and helping others."

"hmmm? Then how do heroes develop then?"

"By suffering."

"Eh?" Minami wore a confused expression from that while Hiratsuka, a shounen fanatic, understood his reasoning.

"If you read some shounen manga and comics, protagonists had sad backstories as their moral compass to become heroes. Whether it's about their parents being killed, or being bullied during childhood, the protagonist is able to become a better person because he/she has experience suffering and made a promise that no one will go through what he/she experience for the sake of humanity."

"Oh, that...sort of make sense?" Minami agreed but still puzzled by his explanation.

"And I agree with that formula as I also have my experiences of suffering which made me become a better person." He said in an arrogant tone while lifting his chin. "That is why all of you should stop forcing me to change because the way I am now, the certified King of Loners, is the best version of myself!"

"No." Both females rejected his claim without hesitation. Hachiman clicked his tongue from that but he wasn't exactly irritated. He did promise himself to change his pessimistic self into something better, refrain from using despicable methods and enter the world of "normies" but in a cautious manner. He was just saying all that as a joke to which the two female companions couldn't help but laugh by that.

"Hahaha...okay, now back to the serious topic." Hiratsuka coughed lightly to regain composure. "Did your parents know about this?"

"Yes, so did my sister." He admitted. "I got scolded and almost got killed by Komachi but overall, they took it well."

"Uh...okay?" She said with a confused tone for wondering whether that was a joke or not. "You remember what I said after the festival, right?"

"Helping someone out is not a justifiable reason for me to get hurt." He repeated the words that the homeroom teacher said at that time. "Yeah, I remember and I understood that perfectly."

"Do you, though?" She looked at him with a doubtful expression. "Then why did you risk yourself to do all that?"

"DIdn't you hear what I said? A hero is born when one experienced suffering."

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

"You got a point on that one but a person has a choice whether he'd be the hero or villain. There are also other factors to consider in influencing a person to go to that route. So I'll ask again, why did you do all that?" Hiratsuka repeated her question after rebutting his reason. Hachiman was about to deny her argument until a thought crossed his mind that made him stop. Hiratsuka noticed his hesitation so she continued.

"I think I know the answer," She finished her bowl and drank water before explaining. "It's because you were desperate from what Yukinoshita said right?"

"Don't be ridiculous, I told you that I don't care-" He stopped mid-sentence as he wore a look of realization.

"_As effective as your methods were, it still doesn't change the fact that they were despicable that it suits you disgustingly well...It has already come to a point where even I am unable to fix you of that rotten personality. I apologize but I must ask you to leave this club." _

Yukinoshita's words once again filled his mind.

"You realized it, didn't you?" Hiratsuka pushed her argument and pointed her finger at Minami. "Your first appearance as 'Isato' was during 'Isane''s rape incident A. K. A, Sagami's case. That incident was at the same day as the day you were kicked out. I even remembered the time the incident occured, it was minutes after they expelled you."

"Hikigaya?" Minami looked at the loner in worry as he was silent during the teacher's explanation.

"I heard what she said outside the door. It bothered you that she made a good point after kicking you out, and then you thought that if you keep using despicable methods, the methods that you upheld with your pessimistic ideals, you will get backstabbed more than once. You're afraid that people you thought were friends or acquaintances at least, would leave you. And most of all, you're afraid of going back to being the old loner life before you joined the Service Club."

"...You're not exactly wrong," Hachiman finally spoke. "Her words did popped up in my mind when I saw Sagami in trouble. But that's because of what she said was true. During that incident, using words was impossible since they were drugged that I doubt they wouldn't listen, acting the villain wouldn't work either and my cellphone was out of batteries. I had no options at that time and if I just left her there like nothing happened... I would be worse than being a villainous pathetic loser."

"Is that why you charged in to those other incidents?" The homeroom teacher asked.

"Yes." He answered without hesitation. There was silence among the three as they were all thinking about the discussion. Hachiman in particular, is thinking about his purpose behind all of his actions.

"_I was sure that my actions were for changing myself but that was the stupidest reason I've ever came up with. I'm literally surprised that I sounded reasonable when I explained all that to them. It's true that I want to change but there could've been safer ways in doing so. Some of what Hiratsuka-sensei was true, I was desperate. But overall, for the umpteenth time, I did all that because it was the right thing to do. This is the correct path. Probably the only path..." _

"Well then," Hiratsuka spoke first with a sigh of relief. "I guess that's that. But Hikigaya, there are other ways to-"

"Help someone, don't hurt yourself even further. Yeah yeah, you don't need to lecture me that because you aren't the first person to say all of those same words." Hachiman said with a bored tone while resting his chin with his hand. Minami couldn't help but laugh at that and Hiratsuka sighed.

"Just promise me you won't get involved in those situations, alright?" The teacher said and he responded with a nod. "Welp, all that serious talk emptied my stomach. I might go for another one!"

"What a coincidence, so do I." Hachiman agreed.

"Me too! Eh?" The brown-haired girl looked down in surprise that there was another bowl full of ramen in front of her. The chef also gave the other two a bowl each.

"This is?" Hachiman wondered.

"T-this is the most expensive ramen on the menu!" Hiratsuka said with her eyes widened at the ramen then looked back towards the chef. "But why?"

"On the house." The old man exclaimed with a wink. The three wondered why he would give them his most expensive dish in this restaurant for free until it clicked on them. This is a restaurant, an establishment for the public to eat food and currently there are many people are here eating.

"Did you...?" Hachiman was about to ask while Minami looked around to see the other customers' reactions and Hiratsuka just stared at the chef with the same widened eyes.

"Relax, The customers are too busy talking about work and all that and it's noisy as hell here. I just got good ears, that's all." The chef explained and then went back to work. Minami, Hachiman, and Hiratsuka looked at each other for a moment and nodded.

"Thank you for the food~!"

* * *

"See ya!" Hiratsuka said in the taxi while waving at the two students after dropping them close to the inn and the vehicle drove away. Hachiman and Minami are now walking their way to the inn. The brown-haired girl wore the teacher's coat because the night was too cold for her to handle with only a sweater. She's in the lead while the loner is walking a few feet behind her.

"Oi, Hikigaya. Why are you over there?" She looked behind her to see our protagonist slouching.

"Because we might get in trouble if someone sees us together."

"Since when did you care about others' opnions?"

"Idiot. A boy and a girl is out in the middle of the night and came back together. It's not just rumors, we'll get in trouble if someone called the faculty about this..."

"Oh, you're right." Her face was fully red as she imagined indecent things when he said that. She looked in front again to hide her embarrassment. Silence filled the streets, and it's a comfortable one at that. The stars are more visible in the dark sky; Some of the building lights are still on; and they can see a mountain from afar. It is a peaceful walk towards the inn.

"Hey, Hikigaya..." Minami called his name.

"What?"

"...What...do you think of me?" The question made Hachiman wary.

"What kind of question is that?" He asked.

"It's just that...When Hiratsuka-sensei explained your true reason for saving me, I thought maybe you don't see me as a friend but just someone you just want to hold on to," She clutched her arm and looked down which her bangs hid her eyes. "Like...maybe you let me be your friend because you were desperate...You don't see me the same way you see Sai-chan or Saki-chan."

"..." He contemplated at her question. It is true that it was unusual for him to just accept her friendship and how quickly their relationship was progressing that the entire school thought they were a couple. That crime incident. That one incident made him thought that something was born between him and Minami. Was is friendship? Love? Responsibility? He didn't know. After that day, the loner never did assume that their relationship would be this close until Minami approached him and asked him out on a "date". He accepted her offer but why? Was it free food? His gentleman behavior? Was it out of courtesy? He did think it was weird that his interactions with her until now were oddly comfortable yet they've never talked to each other that often before or talk in general.

"_Was one event the trigger to our behavior with one another? Is one event really enough for us to form a friendship or something more?" He doubted his feelings and his true vision of his relationship with Minami. "It can't be that easy. This concept of 'friendship' and 'closeness' towards a person involves a long process of understanding with one another and adapting to each other's behaviors. In conclusion, a friendship formed from just one event would be..." _

"Superficial..." Hachiman concluded with a whisper. The brown-haired girl heard that and was puzzled of what it means.

"Hikigaya...?" She called out once more.

"I don't."

"Eh?"

"I don't think you are my friend or anything beyond that."

"...I see." Her voice trembled and her eyes began to tear up though he couldn't see behind her hair. "Then-"

"Let me finish," He said while raising a hand to stop her from speaking. "I don't see you as a friend nor anything but I don't hate you. When I accepted your offer in going to that sushi restaurant back then, I now realized that it wasn't out of courtesy or free food, it's because I want to hold on to something. Sensei was right, I was desperate but not on refuting Yukinoshita's words but to have someone to reassure me. You may think that it would've been better if it was my family or the others instead of you, but if I leaned on to my family, I would be repeating the same cycle as back in middle school and if I leaned to Totsuka and Kawasaki, The fear of being betrayed by them would only grow even stronger."

"..." Minami finally raised her head up to look at the loner eye-to-eye and he noticed the tears in her eyes and her mouth trembling as if she's afraid to speak or even let out her voice. Regardless, he continued to explain despite seeing the girl on the verge of tears.

"Right now, I'm still not sure if you're my friend or acquaintance but it's not because I don't trust you. After that attempted rape incident, we suddenly became close which is weird when you think about it. Friendships can't be formed through a single event, and if it does then that would just be superficial."

"But I am your friend," She rebutted with her trembling voice as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I support your decision to keep up this 'Isato' persona and kept it a secret, You saw my weak side during the festival and I saw yours when you didn't understand the consequences of your hero act. I-I was really grateful that you said all those mean things to me at the festival! You changed me...Don't you get it?! I lo-"

"No." He immediately rejected her before she could even say the words. Minami is enraged and continued to push her confession forward.

"Listen to me!"

"Whatever feelings you have for me, I can't accept it."

"...No," She fell down on her knees and cried. Hachiman slowly approached her while with a look of determination.

"That's why," He spoke. "I want to say these words so that it's official between us."

"Please..." She whimpered. "Don't leave me..."

"Will you be my friend?" His statement made Minami stopped crying.

"...Eh?"

"I said will you be my friend?" He repeated. "When I was still at that club, I asked Yukinoshita to be my friend twice and she rejected it. Her reason was that she didn't know me well until after the Cultural Festival and I thought that there is still a possibility for her to be one. Yet, here I am got kicked out and fighting criminals."

"Hikigaya..." She slowly stood up with her head down, hiding her eyes with her bangs once again. "Come closer, will you?"

"...okay?" He walked closer and now they're a few inches close to each other. That was when the loner felt an excruciating pain on his right foot and then a sharper one at his cheek. He fell down with his back and she sat on his stomach so that he wouldn't stand up or even get away from her.

"YOU IDIOT!" She shouted. Hachiman is glad that there is no people out here at nighttime. "DID YOU SERIOUSLY MAKE ME CRY AND HAVE THIS SERIOUS CONVERSATION JUST FOR YOU TO ASK ME TO BE FRIENDS!"

"W-wai-" He wanted to stop her but she immediately attacked him with a barrage of slaps, pinches and light punches from the brown-haired girl. He tried his best to block her attacks while looking at her angry expression.

"THIS IS THE STUPIDEST DISCUSSION I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! YOU'RE LITERALLY THE WORST! THIS IS WHY NO ONE LIKES YOU! IT'S BECAUSE YOU SUCK AT GETTING THINGS STRAIGHT! YOU'RE A COMPLETE IDIOT! DUMBASS! HACHIMAN!"

"Again! Since when did my name turned into an insult word?!"

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN WHEN YOU WASTED OUR TIME FOR THIS CRAP! WASTED MY TEARS ALL FOR JUST A STRAIGHTFORWARD REQUEST! WASTED A THOUSAND WORDS OF THIS CHAPTER FOR THIS STUPID SCENE!"

"Wait? What was that last part-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" She screamed as she continued to attack him until both grew tired. It didn't took too long for the "fight" to end with her as the victor since Hachiman gave up defending himself near the end. The two teenagers are gasping for air while maintaining this position. Minami is covered in sweat and her eyes dried up and still red from the tears while Hachiman has red marks all over his face with one in the shape of a hand and his arms are in pain from the slap and pinches. Minami swallowed her saliva and spoke first with her usual but exhausted, angry tone.

"So...how are you going to make up for this?"

"Well," He spoke between heavy breaths. "free food? My treat?"

"I'm...not a Hachiman...idiot." She weakly slapped his cheek, so weak that it was just a tap rather than a full slap.

"Please stop using my name as an insult word." He sighed. "Then, how about tomorrow, we hang out, just the two of us."

"...okay. That's good enough! Hehe~." She sat up and looked at him with a grin on her face. He didn't notice it now, but he definitely got a good view of her while she's sitting on top of him at this angle from the bottom-up: Her skirt was wrinkled and folded up a bit that he could see her thighs worn with black stockings. he had a good angle of her breasts under and how big they are, really not that big but still appealing nonetheless; The star-filled sky above her enchanted her smile along with her entire figure. He shook his head to remove the trance.

"Let me tell you this to get things straight." She explained. "I'm already your friend after you saved me. It doesn't have to take time or a million conversations for us to be one. Sometimes all it takes is just one serious or personal thing between us and if we get each other's deal, we're now friends. Got that?"

"Yes... Can you get off now?" He asked nonchalantly however his blush is clearly visible despite the red marks. He understood her words clearly, but he was still skeptical for the sake of his well-being and for others. True, to become real friends, it requires one personal and serious event between them. However, that depends on the person and his/her thoughts on the matter. Regardless, Hachiman and Minami are now friends, and he accepted that without doubting her.

"Ah, sorry." Minami stood up and tidied her skirt before reaching a hand which he accepted her help. She then suddenly hugged the loner with her face planted on his chest and he just froze in shock. He raised his hands to hesitantly to hug her back but he stopped and went for a head pat instead. Hachiman couldn't see her face but she was blushing and her smile grew wider. The brown-haired girl felt pleasure from his head pat and hugged him tighter. They stayed like this for a few minutes until he called it enough.

"Oi Sagami, let's go-"

"Minami..."

"What?"

"Call me Minami from now on. And I'll call you Hachiman." She said as she looked up while still hugging him.

"...Minami...-san."

"Get rid of that honorifics." She pinched his side and he flinched in pain.

"Minami." He finally said her given name. She stared at him until she spoke with a trembling voice.

"S-say that again, three times..."

"Minami...Minami...Minami..."

"Hehehehe!"

"Why are you so happy over being at first-name basis?" He said with a sigh. _"Although, I'm not one to talk since I once asked Totsuka to say my first name three times as well and I thought I was in heaven at that time." _

His cellphone rang and he took out to see that it was none other than the angel tennis player himself messaging him for the tenth time. Apparently they've been gone for too long and he just received all these messages only recently.

"Looks like we've been out for too long," She spoke as she read the screen in his cellphone. "Come one, let's run back to the inn, Hachiman!"

* * *

"What are you planning?" A mature, female voice echoed inside a dark messy room filled with piles of papers and documents everywhere: on the floor; on the table, and even on the desk at the far end of the room where a person sat there typing on a computer with three monitors.

"I do not know...what you mean." The person said with a male and husky voice between heavy breaths as if someone is choking him. He turned around with his spinning chair to reveal his appearance in which his entire face and body are covered in bandages and all of his legs and right arm are amputated. The only things visible are his one left eye that looks red and its pupil widened.

"Why are you wrapped in bandages again?" The woman asked.

"There's...no point in wearing clothes...on a disgusting body such as mine..." He answered.

"Well, at least you're eating properly again," She said as she looked at the table filled with documents and noticed an empty plate and bowl with silverware. "So back to my first question."

"Again...I do not know-"

"Don't give me that shit. I knew you got your eye on Hikigaya." She walked forward to reveal herself from the lights emanating from the monitors. Long brown hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a black long coat, a white-collared shirt under with a blue bow tie and black pants. Her olive-green eyes narrowed, displaying her anger towards this bandaged-covered person.

"And I thought... I was doing things more quietly from you..." He said while scratching his head. "As expected...of Miura Yuko."

"I got lucky that I met him at that robbery incident now spill it, what are you planning to do with that boy?"

"Hmmm...Do you know...the story of Hachiman, the war god..."

"Quit with your mind games."

"It is not...It is relevant... to my objective."

"Then my answer is I don't know. I wasn't good at history, alright?"

"That is unexpected... You ranked one of the top 5s in exams...during your time at the Police Academy... Were you perhaps the same as your daughter...in your high school life?"

"Yeah, I am. I was a total queen back then and thought that studying was for nerds."

"How stereotypical... of you."

"Just shut up and get on with it already!" She shouted as she held her fist to snap it. "Or else I'm gonna-"

"Please, no violence," He interrupted her and sighed. "Hachiman is a god of war who stopped the Mongols... from invading japan. He summoned a strong gale that destroyed the entire sailing fleet... and earned him the title of Protector of Japan."

"Okay, what's the connection between that and your objective?" She asked while folding her arms and tapping with her toes, indicating her impatience.

"I just thought...it's funny since this boy's...given name is Hachiman...and he is protecting others from criminals."

"...The Barbaros Syndicate is in Kyoto and you want Hikigaya to deal with them?" She said with widened eyes and her hands trembled from clutching her arms tighter.

"Hoh? Where did you get that?" He asked while tilting his head.

"I maybe suck at history but I still got some gits of some lectures. The Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous land empire in world history and it was located in central Asia. The Barbaros Syndicate is a crime organization full of Chinese, Russians, and Mongolian members. Recently, there have been evidence that the syndicate was lurking around the Kyoto markets so connecting that and whatever shit you are spouting, I figured it out. You always give hints by saying it in the most dumbass ways."

"And here I thought you won't figure it out," He said with a sigh and then Miura suddenly grabbed his neck but not too tight so that he can still speak.

"Why are you making a child go into a fucking syndicate!" Miura shouted.

"Calm yourself...The syndicate sent out only...a small group...to establish business there...The smaller the establishment, the harder... for us to find it...Or so they thought."

"That doesn't make it any less dangerous for him, you fucking idiot!" She said as her grab shook, resisting the urge to choke the bandage-covered person. "And my daughter is there! If you try anything retarded, I'll snap your neck!"

"Do not worry...Your daughter will not be involved...in this," He said as she tried to reassure her. Judging from his eye, he seemed to be not affected by her hold on his neck. "As for the boy... He will only serve a small role."

"Is that so?" She let go of his neck and sighed.

"Mind if I ask?...why are you wearing...such attire?"

"I'm going to Kyoto to help him myself. Even if I inform the police there, you would negotiate with them to not interfere, right?"

"Correct...but do not worry...I sent an assistant to aid...his mission." He spun his chair and went back to typing on his computer.

"Who? One of our detectives?" Miura asked.

"One of the boy's... former enemies..."

* * *

Thank you for reading this fanfic. Please leave a review as your opinions will be helpful for making this story better.


	6. Chapter 6: No Matter Where

HOLY CRAP! THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE EVER WRITTEN! Over 16,200 words... God, how come my fingers are still intact. Anyway, I apologize for taking so long to update. Things have been seriously went downhill for my mental health and then with what been going on with the pandemic. But not to worry! I'm back in full swing and ready to write fanfics! It feels so good to have people around you, especially in these hard times.

Stay home, and be safe. I just watched the news of people in Michigan protesting over COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Like, I get why they would be mad but seriously? Do they have to go outside and protest? Why don't they voice out their complaints on the internet or something? They just made things worse for them, not better.

Not being political here but still. Lesson learn, don't be stupid.

Anyways, on to the reviews! Some of them at least

_faust79: I don't think he will. Boi got a lot on his plate right now._

_Mr.N0Name: I'll try to keep things at a moderate pace and yeah, 8man's actions won't be done without consequences._

_Afnan-kun: Thank you so much. You take care as well!_

_Echonic: I understand. I haven't thought much about whether I'd go on the redemption arc or the FUCK YOU arc. I'll think about it along the way._

_Galaghiel: Thank you for reading this! I'm very glad that I have improved my writing._

_jargax: Thank you for your review. Stay safe as well._

_rikusp2002: Hmmm... who knows? You just have to read this chapter and find out!_

_Chihiro Fujimi: From what I heard, Japanese history is a difficult academic subject. Or was it Japanese literature? I don't know. Sorry about that._

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Oregairu series as it is respectfully owned by the author and studios.**

* * *

"What the hell are you talking about this time?" The policewoman name Miura Yuko asked the bandaged-covered man sitting on a chair typing at his computer. Her face showed bewilderment from his earlier statement. In the police department, she is working at this man is by far the most enigmatic person in this branch. He has odd hobbies and never opened up to other officers until it was deemed necessary for him. She would only see him here, sitting at his computer to type whatever he was typing for. Sometimes, she would see him snooping around other officer's work and cases, reading documents about officers including her from information on working experience to private information such as family background and body measurements and then got punished by others, particularly female officers and the deputy chief who is also female. He did sometimes wear normal clothes but only for meetings and his view of "special occasions" so everyone has adapted to see him covered in bandages except for Miura as she would always complain to him about proper attire and his problem in hygiene as if she is his babysitter.

Despite his strange hobbies and personality, This man is respected by everyone in the department, including the higher-ups. He works as a detective and on rare occasions, acts as captain of this branch. His great achievements involved solving some of the greatest mysteries of Japan and stopped syndicates and drug dealers multiple times throughout his line of work. There was one time when he was asked for international assistance in locating a terrorist leader to which he accomplished it in just mere days. This detective is one of the few people Japan is proud of. However, he still holds secrecy to some of his identity and background that few people suspect him. One of those people is Miura Yuko who is the "closest" to him as she would often come by his office to observe his behavior and discover his schemes.

"My statement...is self-explanatory..." He answered between heavy breaths with his husky voice.

"...I know this is late to ask but why are you talking like that?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"My voice...unnecessary...for a disgusting person such as-"

"Please talk normally or else I'll have to grab your throat to force it back to normal." She interrupted him while flexing her hands, indicating that she is committed to grabbing his throat for the sake of her sanity. The bandaged-covered detective turned around to stare at her for a few seconds and he complied. He coughed loudly and hummed to check his voice. After a few more coughs, he spoke.

"As I was saying, my statement is self-explanatory." His voice is not husky and instead turned back into a low, manly voice. He's also self-depreciate.

"Are you saying that you sent a criminal that the kid once encountered?" Miura asked with folded arms.

"Yes."

"Instead of a professional detective or even a simple patroller?"

"Yes."

"...WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" She yelled with a vein popped in her head. "DO YOU EVEN HAVE A SINGLE FUCKING CLUE WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO HIM?!"

"Calm yourself, Miura-san," He said nonchalantly and went back to his computer. "I prepared various contingencies if any miscalculations appeared in this event."

"Doesn't change the fact that you're going to put the kid in danger." She complained until she sighed. "Just make sure that he would be alright, Hajime."

"I can assure you, he will be in one piece throughout his mission." He responded. "Also, it's not Hajime, it's Ojin."

"Hah? You changed your name already?! It's only been a week since you renamed yourself!"

"I like my name to fit the theme of this mission." He said while waving his hand indicating his name change is not an important matter to him. Another strange behavior of this man is that he would occasionally change his given name for different reasons whether it was because of being undercover or he was just tired of that name. His previous name before "Hajime" was Johnny until he changed it because he realized it didn't meet his standards. Truly, Detective Ojin is the strangest person of the police department.

"Whatever," The policewoman exit the room as Ojin went back to work. She still wondered what his name change means for his mission. The detective is also known for his ridiculous hints and depressing jokes about himself. He is incredibly hard to read.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Kyoto

The night is silent and cold in Kyoto. Some building lights and light posts illuminated the roads for people to see the way easier and yet the darkness remains in certain places and the lights aren't enough to illuminate comfort for those afraid in the dark. Nighttime can be a wonderful time for people to enjoy the stars, take part in nightly events, and embrace the wonders that could only appear at this time. However, the night is also a time of terror and danger. The night is advantageous for scoundrels and criminals to lurk in the dark searching for victims and opportunities to use horrible tactics and schemes. That, along with the lack of people roaming around in the streets are why many are afraid to go out at night while others go out for the thrill.

For Hachiman and Minami, tonight is comforting.

After a serious and pointless conversation of doubts and reassurance of their friendship, the two teenagers are walking back to the inn with a sense of relief. Minami once again walked in front while Hachiman followed a few feet behind her with his back slouched. No words are needed to be exchanged as this is a moment of contemplation and development.

_"Friends,"_ Hachiman's inner monologue began. _"For now, that's where we are. There are still a lot of uncertainties with this, but I know that she accepted where we stand. Until then, I'm not alone, not anymore. This is where my new path truly begins. As for how far our relationship can go, ... Let's see what happens."_

Hachiman nodded to himself in satisfaction of his conclusion. He looked straight at the brown-haired girl's back as he remembered her words earlier. The former loner thought if what she said was true, that they were already friends before they had that argument. It wasn't like he and his former clubmates didn't have serious moments that developed their bonds. In fact, it's because of those moments that the betrayal had more venom than being rejected by his former middle school crush. On this day, his cynicism grew, but he didn't desire to return to his previous loner life. Instead, his desire to change grew.

_"Friends, huh?... GODDAMNIT!"_ Meanwhile, Minami also contemplated on their current relationship, but for her, it's filled with frustration. _"It's like nothing changed at all! No, I think something did change but... It feels like I got friendzoned, didn't I?! I was about to confess to him and he rejected me before I could even say the 'L' word! I mean, yeah, I get why he would be skeptical of me and had that stupid discussion but STILLLL! AAAAHHHH! Why does this guy have to be so complicated and dumb and awkward and nice and cute and-"_

"Minami? Oi." Our protagonist called out to her and interrupted her thoughts. Both stopped walking, and the girl turned around to look at him while trying her best to hide her frustration. It failed since he noticed that her face is all red as he looked at her warily

"W-what is it?" Minami stuttered.

"Uh... We're here." He pointed in front of them and they see the familiar infrastructure. "You go first. I'll wait here for a few seconds until I get in so no one will suspect anything."

"O-okay." She said while twirling a brand of her hair. "Hey, Hachiman..."

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, I know. What time do you want to-"

"9 am sharp. Let's eat breakfast together before going out."

"Then it's settled."

"Yup. Good night, Hachiman."

"Good night...Minami-san." The moment he said her name with an honorific, she pouted and marched towards him with a fist raised. "Okay, okay. Good night, Minami."

"...Good night." She said as she nodded and ran inside the inn. Minami quickly went upstairs while holding both cheeks and entered her room.

"Ah, welcome back~! Eh, Sagamin?" The voice of the Fire Queen was ignored as the brown-haired girl dove into her futon and covered herself with a blanket. Miura Yumiko and the rest of the female classmates/roommates looked at each other in concern for Sagami since she was out for a puzzling amount of time. The reason she went out of the room earlier was that she felt awkward in here. Kawasaki, her only female friend, is in a different room with other classmates so Sagami felt out of place when Miura and the others entered and conversed themselves without her. Sagami was glad that she isn't roommates with her former clique, but being in here still felt like she was in a room full of strangers. Some roommates, including the Fire Queen, noticed her uneasiness while others are still trying to deduce her problems until they gave up and started gossiping. Before Miura could ask, Sagami left and had been gone for an hour until she finally returned but her behavior turned even stranger.

"Hey, Sagamin," Miura walked towards the blanket-covered girl. Sagami's face is also covered so she couldn't see her face. "Are you alright?"

"Yup," She said in a muffled voice. "I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"You sure? You were out for a while now."

"Ah!" One of the roommates squealed in realization. "You bumped into Hikitani-kun, didn't you~?"

"No, I didn't." The blanket-covered girl said in a muffled voice while squirming on her futon.

"KYAAAAAH~! You did!" The girls screamed except for Miura in response to Sagami's denial

"Hey, what were you guys doing?!"

"Did you two like, snuck out and went on a night date or something?!"

"Or maybe... You locked yourselves in an empty room and... went all the way?! KYAAAAH~!"

"N-no!" Sagami removed her blanket, only showing her blushing face to look at the roommates. "And since when did you girls care?"

"Well..." One of the roommates answered. "It was after Hikitani-kun beat up those guys for you. I saw how those perverts treated you and the day after that, I was just walking in the hallway until I saw those same perverts and then someone just ran to them and beat their faces! He was like 'Stay away from my girl!'"

_"Yeah, I doubt that."_ Sagami wore a deadpanned expression by that.

"KYAAH!" The other roommate shrieked. "I saw it too! That time, I was in the third-year classroom talking with senpai about stuff and then suddenly Hikitani-kun just waltz right in and they started fighting! I didn't believe him at first when he explained his reason, but... He was so manly back then."

"I don't get you girls," Miura said with an annoyed expression. "That creep is violent and literally went like, beast mode around the school. Hayato would've just talk his way to solve that harassment, not beat them into a pulp and get suspended. He has more good points than Hikio."

"Ugh," A roommate grunted in annoyance. "It's not like every boy can be like Hayama, y'know?"

"Yeah," The others agreed. "And besides, Hayama isn't the only hottie in our school. Like that senpai in the swimming club, he was sooo~ hot when he swam."

"Oh! What about that gym teacher?! He's kinda hot. I saw him playing basketball with the third-years and when he's all sweaty... Kyaaaah~!"

"And of course, there's Hikitani-kun. I mean yeah he was sort of a loser and kinda creepy when he smiled, but after he and Sagamin started dating, I looked at him in a new light."

"Yeah, did you see him yesterday when the boys are running around laps while we were at the pool. I saw him wiping his face with his shirt and oh. My. God. I caught a glimpse of his body!"

"Eh!? No way!"

"I saw it too! I didn't know his body is muscular til now and the way it shined because of all that sweat? Just pure manliness."

"At first, I thought those scars were kinda scary. I mean, he might've got that from street fights, right? But after seeing him talking with Sagamin and how mad he was from those perverts, I see those scars as bonus manly points."

"He looks like the bad boy type! Definitely checked all the boxes for me~."

"Heeeeh~?! He's your type?"

As the other girls were speaking out their fantasies and tastes in boys, Sagami and Miura looked at them in shock but for different reasons. In the Fire Queen's case, She thought they were delusional that someone like Hikigaya can be boyfriend material even though he's dating the brown-haired girl lying on the futon. Hikigaya did many awful things to others in order to "solve" the requests such as that time at summer camp and of course, at the Cultural Festival. Not to mention, there were rumors regarding his delinquency. She thought that who in their right mind would have a crush on him? Well, she already knew the answer, but it was a rhetorical question.

In Sagami's case, it's the same, but it is out of jealousy instead of disgust and wonder. On one hand, she was glad that there are more people acknowledging Hikigaya, but she is jealous that he is growing in popularity, especially with high school girls. She didn't expect that one incident was enough to rebuild the hero's reputation nor would he gain fangirls from Sobu High. Sagami did see in social media on Isato and his fanbase. Some of what they posted were just jokes and memes of his vigilantism while others criticized it but there were people online who truly admired his actions. And of course, there are also fangirls in the media but they don't concern the brown-haired girl since they're anonymous and they don't know Isato's Identity. What concerns her now is that her classmates got their eye on Hikigaya, not Isato but HER man.

"H-hmph!" Sagami looked away from the girls and closed her eyes. _"Not like they can steal him away from me. I'm the closest girl to him and we've been through some serious stuff. I went to his house, met his sister, got his phone number and chat a lot, and we're going on a date tomorrow! So there!"_

"Sagamin~." One of the roommates called her.

"Y-yeah?"

"You and Kawasaki-san are friends right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's just that..." The other roommate interjected. "Don't you think that she's been rather close with Hikitani-kun?"

"Well yeah, they're friends, so what?" Sagami is getting confused about where this conversation is heading.

"No, no. I think Kawasaki-san is WAAYY too close to him." The female roommate corrected her while the others nodded in agreement except for Miura who sat on her futon while texting her cellphone. However, the blonde girl is listening to their conversation as she too is interested.

"I... don't know what you're talking about." Sagami pretended to be confused by her roommate's exclamation but she knew better. The brown-haired girl can see the chemistry between Kawasaki and Hikigaya. While Kawasaki can be curt and awkward when talking to someone until she got used to that person; she was a loner; serious at academics; she cared her younger siblings deeply; and she looks like a delinquent with how she dresses her uniform poorly, Hikigaya is also a loner; smart at academics; cared for his younger sister deeply; looks like a delinquent with those dead-fish eyes and scars.

_"They're too compatible with each other! What the hell is up with that!"_ Sagami mentally voiced out her anxiety and it did not go unnoticed by the other girls inside the room.

"You realized it, didn't you?" The same roommate leaned forward to close in on her face.

"Those two aren't that close," Sagami denied her claims. "They don't talk to each other much."

"How would you know? What if they're keeping their relationship from you?"

"Being paranoid over something without proof won't get us anywhere." The brown-haired girl retorted while shaking her head.

"Actually..." One of the roommates intervened. "I saw the two of them together back in summer. I enrolled in a cram school back then and those two are classmates. I didn't know what they were doing together because I was in a different class, but those two were together in that cram school."

"Eh?!" Everyone gasped by that revelation.

"I-I saw them too!" Another roommate confessed. "It was two weeks ago, they were walking together after school."

"No way!" As the girls shrieked in a mixture of surprise and excitement, Sagami is trying her best to process the discussion and tried to deny their claims. However, she did see a sense of closeness between Kawasaki and Hikigaya to a degree every time they interact with each other. He once said that Kawasaki once went to his house with her little sister to study and hung out so that could be a hint in Sagami's mind. Her jealousy grew but quickly subsided as she remembered her conversation with Hikigaya earlier this night.

_"Let me tell you this to get things straight, I'm already your friend after you saved me. It doesn't have to take time or a million conversations for us to be one. Sometimes all it takes is just one serious or personal thing between us and if we get each other's deal, we're now friends. Got that?"_

From her words and the seriousness of that moment, she knew that despite being only friends, they are beyond what others perceived in the word "friends". Their bonds are much deeper than ordinary friends. She concluded that there is no point in fighting against possible love rivals for the affection of a boy. What's important for her is to help him with whatever conflict Hikigaya will be given from his troubles as a high school loner and as the heroic persona.

"Ugh, I don't get you guys at all," Miura said with a sigh and silence the gossiping roommates. "I'm going to sleep. It's getting late and I don't want the teacher to give me a boring penalty."

"Ah, you're right."

"Then that's it for tonight."

"Good night~!"

Everyone followed the Fire Queen and turned off the lights to fall asleep. Unbeknownst to them and Sagami, Miura has been bothered by Hikigaya whenever he was mentioned in a conversation or even hear his name. His surprising familiarity with her mother brings several speculations in wondering what and who he truly is.

"I'm gonna get some answers from him tomorrow, or else this shivering on my spine will kill me... Even if I have to strangle that creep to get it out of his mouth"

...

Meanwhile, in a certain boy's bedroom.

A strand of hair called "Ahoge", is moving on its own as uneasiness spread into the mind of our protagonist. Hikigaya is playing a card game of Uno with Totsuka and Zaimokusa (the one who suggested to play with them despite being in a different room and even not classmates). The other roommates are also playing different card games aside from Hayama who fell asleep early after playing five rounds with them before passing bedtime. Hikigaya noticed Totsuka staring at him worriedly.

"Is something wrong, Hachiman?" The silver-haired angel asked while Zaimokusa looked at our protagonist with a raised eyebrow.

"No... it's nothing." He answered as he put down a yellow five-card.

"FUHAHAHA! Hachiman, you fool! You have forgotten to say the incantation!" Zaimokusa said in an arrogant tone. What the chuunibyou meant from that statement is that Hikigaya forgot to say "Uno".

"Tch," Hikigaya clicked his tongue as the other two players laughed by his mistake. _"My Hikigaya-senses are tingling. Based on how my ahoge moved, it seems I might face something annoying tomorrow."_

"Oi! The teacher's coming!" The roommate said as he looked outside of the door.

"Oh, crap! Quick, hide the cards!"

"Hey what about that fat guy over there!" a roommate pointed at Zaimokusa. "He's not our classmate!"

"Whatever man, just hide behind the blanket!"

* * *

**Next Day, 8:30 am**

There is a dining area of the inn for guests to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Sobu High School students have the option to eat outside instead but for our protagonist and his companions, Totsuka and Zaimokusa, they agreed to eat in the dining area by Hikigaya's suggestion. His reason? He is too lazy to walk outside so early in the morning so he would rather stay indoors for a while longer. At least that was what he told them but the two real reasons are that one; Sagami's suggestion and two; he is preparing himself from a troublesome situation that is about to happen. Hikigaya is not superstitious, especially in believing in something as ridiculous as an anime trope. However, his uneasiness tells a different story. So the three male students sat on a five-seat at a round table with.

"Yahallo!" Yuigahama greeted them with Kawasaki walking by her side.

"Good morning, Yuigahama-san, Kawasaki-san." Totsuka is the only one who returned the greeting as Hikigaya and Zaimokusa focused on eating their breakfast.

"Morning." Kawasaki greeted while tapping our protagonist's shoulder.

"Yeah, morning." He greeted back without looking at her as she sat beside him.

"So what's the plan for today?" She asked the group.

"Hmmm... Let's go to a haunted house?" Totsuka suggested with a gleeful smile.

"Eh?! No way!" Yuigahama denied and Kawasaki seemed to agree as she flinched in fear by his suggestion. "Let's go somewhere else before the scary stuff, please?!"

"Hmm... Then let's look at more temples?" He asked.

"Anything's fine." Kawasaki answered in an indifferent tone while trying her best to hide her fear from the haunted house. She isn't good at dealing with horror as evident by how her hands were shaking just by the thought of what the haunted house has in store for the poor customers/victims.

"Then, let's think of somewhere to go on the way out!" Yuigahama exclaimed and they all nodded in agreement apart from Hikigaya. He completely forgot that the second day is for groups and on the third day is when everyone can roam around Kyoto freely with whoever they want to be with. He either has to tell his group that he and Sagami are about to go on a "date" or tell Sagami they have to reschedule for tomorrow. He concluded that the latter is much more reasonable as it would get the two of them in trouble if the two tried to sneak out. The probability of encountering a classmate or even a schoolmate and get reported is moderate to high.

"Good Morning!" A familiar female voice greeted them.

"Speak of the devil." He said inside his mind as the group turned to look at Sagami approaching them.

"It appears the will of the gods are calling me," Zaimokusa stood up. "Til we meet again, my fellow comrades."

"Ah, see ya later, Chuuni-chan!" Yuigahama said while waving at him. He clutched his chest as if something hit him. Unknown to him, she was just doing it out of courtesy.

"See you later, Zaimokusa-kun." Totsuka did the same but with actual warmth. Zaimokuza flinched once more while stepping backward.

"F-farewell..." He stuttered as he walked away while Minami sat down at his chair, particularly next to Hachiman.

"Good morning," She greeted him.

"Morning," He answered. While the others are chatting to each other, he leaned closer to her so he can whisper without letting them hear their conversation.

"About our promise last night..."

"Oh, yeah...Hey everyone!" She suddenly called out to the group and Hachiman's eyes widened. "Hachiman and I are going on a date so can you guys cover for us?"

"Eh?" Totsuka tilted his head in confusion. "Why don't you just extend it to tomorrow?"

"Eeeehhh~?" Minami pouted. "We just wanna like, make as many memories as we can soooo~"

"You have lots of time tomorrow," Kawasaki denied her request. "Just put some more effort into your date."

"It's better to have more time to spend with my boyfriend." Minami argued with a hint of jealousy, unnoticed by everyone. Her roommates' speculation last night still bothered her.

"Don't blame us if you got caught." Kawasaki retorted and both ladies are glaring at each other. Meanwhile, Hachiman is analyzing the silvery blue-haired girl's behavior. He knew that she is carefree to most things that don't involve her family or her studies as if nothing in high school life interests her.

_"Well, she did interact with other classmates during the festivals so maybe it's more of a development?"_ He deduced, but he got a feeling that he missed something from that or he made the wrong deduction to her behavior.

"I was about to talk to you about this," Hachiman intervened in the stare-down as the group looked at him. "Sagami-"

"Minami." The brown-haired girl corrected her.

"...Minami, let's move our date to tomorrow." He suggested as he played the boyfriend act. He still assumed that there is no way to deny the rumor as he noticed some of the students are listening to their conversation. He also concluded that confirming the rumor instead of denying it will stop the harassment to Minami in a higher percent. "I don't want us to get in trouble and even if they cover for us, will the others do the same?"

"Oh... okay" Minami agreed in a disappointed tone while Kawasaki crossed her arms in triumph, puzzling our protagonist even more. Yuigahama is just silent throughout the whole scene as she felt out-of-place so she took her cellphone and fiddled with it.

"So... Where are we going first?" He asked

* * *

"Hihihihihi!"

A burst of creepy laughter echoed in the dark and eerie hallways. Only small blue lights are illuminating the entire area yet it's not enough to calm the minds of some guests. The designs on the walls are old, and there is blood covering some parts of it along with the wooden floor. The wood sliding doors are closed yet emanates an aura that they will be opened as something or someone will come out and pounce on the poor victims.

"W-what's that creepy laughter?!" One of the victims is Kawasaki who is holding our protagonist's blazer tightly from behind as fear permeated through her body and mind.

"I can't handle this stuff..." Another of the victims is Yuigahama who is grabbing Totsuka's right arm.

"W-who's idea was it to get in this haunted house, anyway?" And of course, there is Minami who is also holding Hachiman's arm since the moment they entered this haunted house. An emotion of fear is taking over her mind but also jealousy as she stared at the silvery blue-haired girl holding his blazer and being too close to him.

"What's so scary about ghosts in haunted houses?" Hachiman said indifferently. "Human beings are far scarier."

"You and your-, well at least that calms me down," Minami said with a sigh of relief. "You kinda like a knight to me."

"What I'm saying is that I'm terrified of haunted houses where people do the scaring."

"Hah?! What kind of boyfriend who's more scared than the girl?"

"The kind who is a human being like the girl and also feel fear." He retorted as he looked at Totsuka who still has his usual bright smile and doesn't look afraid of the haunted house. "You... seem just fine, Totsuka."

"Yeah, I actually love this stuff" Totsuka answered. Hachiman then looked at Yuigahama, who closed her eyes throughout the whole walk in the creepy hallways. He felt a familiar emotion when he saw her face. Before. he always felt indifferent to his former clubmates even after being kicked out. However, something is surging within our protagonist. It is familiar to him but he couldn't distinguish it. It is a mix of anger and satisfaction.

"Could this be...?" Before he could figure it out, a zombie appeared to the right side and screamed. Only Yuigahama and Minami screamed in terror as they held their own male partners' arms. Totsuka felt excited and Hachiman just widened his eyes in fear but didn't scream nor even opened his mouth as he gritted his teeth. Kawasaki's eyes looked hollow as she slowly walked away from the zombie and steadily in front of the group to make a run for it. But before she could even prepare her form, someone grabbed her right arm from behind.

"HIIIII!" She shrieked and looked behind her to see Minami with a deadpanned expression.

"Where are you going?" The brown-haired girl asked.

"J-just felt like running..." Kawasaki stuttered.

"And leave us behind? Never thought you can be this cruel," Minami then formed a sinister grin on her face. "Let's enjoy this haunted house, together~. Niiiicee~ and slooooww~."

"N-no..."

"Yes."

"NO! LET ME GO YOU-!" Kawasaki tried to shake her off, however, Minami relented and didn't let go. Minami pushed her to make Kawasaki walk forward with a satisfied grin. Minami doesn't have the strength to hold someone like Kawasaki, but she is strong enough to slow her down and not run away in the hallway. As they wobbled forward, Hachiman and the rest just stared at them with different expressions. Hachiman's are a mix of pity and deadpan while the other two is only pity.

"S-should we stop them?" Yuigahama asked.

"Nah, let's just get this over with and think of someplace to go." Hikigaya answered deadpanned and walked forward while slouching. The two companions behind stared at his back before following him.

"HYAAAAAAA!" The screams of the two girls echoed in the haunted house as they all encountered horrific things such as ghosts, fake blood dripping on the ceiling, and other cheap scares that terrified the poor victims. Kawasaki and Sagami forgot their fight and just walked together while holding each other's arms from whatever scare this establishment will bring. Hikigaya walked in front of Totsuka and Yuigahama only a few feet apart. Apparently Hikigaya got scared a little which is why he slowed his pace for the two groupmates to catch up so he wouldn't be alone.

After a series of scares and misfortunes, the entire group got out of the nightmarish establishment that is the haunted house. The first to exit is Kawasaki and Sagami, both are crying from the scares and torture inside. The second is Hikigaya who looked calm and stoic as always when in reality, he was scared throughout the event. Last but not the least, Totsuka and Yuigahama with the silver-haired angel still maintained his usual smile while the girl looked tired as she slumped forward.

"Finally," She mumbled with a sigh of relief. "It's over."

"You guys look like you enjoyed yourself," A familiar male voice said to them as he stood up from a bench. "Let's get going, then?"

"Ah, wait up Hayato!" A blonde girl clung to the blonde boy's arm. A couple of hours ago, back in the dining area, Yuigahama suggested that they should group with Hayama's group because the trip will be more enjoyable if they're with more people. While the rest didn't see a problem with that including Sagami despite her awkwardness toward Hayama, Hikigaya was suspicious by the orange-haired girl.

"Ebina! Let's go!" Miura called out to the glasses-wearing fujoshi who is in a store buying a Kimono with Tobe swinging a wooden sword.

"I wonder if the haunted house helped..." Yuigahama mumbled, but it reached our protagonist's ears and her words confirmed his suspicions.

_"So that's it,"_ He thought. _"Tobe made a request to the Service Club about getting together with Ebina so the club planned to use this trip to get them closer. However, Hayama seemed to object to that idea from the way he gave me a clue yesterday. I guess he didn't find a way to reject his best friend's request so he thought Yukinoshita might reject the idea by refusing said request but ultimately failed. If Tobe does something stupid like confessing to her, which he will, the clique will fall apart."_

"Wasn't that fun, Hachiman?" Totsuka said to the group with excitement and satisfaction. Only Hikigaya responded with a nod as Kawasaki and Sagami is still crying while Yuigahama still stared at Ebina and Tobe.

"Where's Ooka and Yamato?" Tobe asked Hayama.

"They went ahead of us," He answered as he pointed at a path. "Said they want to see something cool over there."

"Then let's go!" Tobe enthusiastically ran to the direction his friend pointed while the others followed him by walking. They've been to a few places now and it always feel like they haven't seen enough of Kyoto which is a relief for Sagami as her date with Hikigaya is still open for more options. Whether it'll be more temples or a simple market and restaurant, as long as she has a chance, it's fine with her. Hikigaya is still thinking about Hayama and his clique but not out of worry but irritation. What Hayama did yesterday was a sign for help from our protagonist's perspective, so he decided to ignore the blonde classmate's problem since he's not involved in the club anymore.

_"And if he asked me directly, I will humbly refuse."_ Hikigaya said in his mind as he walked forward. The next place they went to is the Ryoan-Ji Temple, the site of Japan's most famous rock garden known as "The Garden With Tiger Cubs Crossing". The group is now nearing the entrance and saw several of their schoolmates outside and inside of the temple with some are familiar classmates and friends. While they approached the entrance, Minami lightly punched Hachiman's arm with a pout.

"What's that for?" He asked.

"For being a scaredy-cat." She answered with a cute, angry tone.

"Says the girl who was screaming like no tomorrow."

"It WAS scary! How come you're afraid when you've been through something worse?"

"No matter what, humans will always be terrifying creatures that can do anything to scare others."

"Quit with your old loner attitude, will you? So? How are you gonna pay back all of your minus boyfriend points?"

"Oi, since when was boyfriend points established in our relationship?"

"I got permission from your little sister."

"How come I've never heard of this?"

"We've been texting in secret. You should put a password on your phone so Komachi wouldn't snoop around your contact list."

_"Note to self: Insert password and install tight security on my cellphone."_ He thought as he grunted in annoyance to his sister's meddling.

"So?" Minami asked with hands on her waist. "You have a way of getting back all the lost boyfriend points?"

"No," He answered without hesitation while the two are walking in front of the garden and both sat down on a wooden floor. "I only care for my Onii-chan points."

"Some boyfriend you are. I wonder how long you can keep me?"

"Very long since I can get those points back whenever I want."

"Heeeh~? You think that's easy? Well, then-"

While the "couple" is arguing, they didn't notice other female students sitting beside them as they watched their display of affection. These female students are in Class 2-J, an international education curriculum that comprises approximately 90% female students. The aim of this class is to nurture the academically gifted students capable of fulfilling an active role at the international level. Some of these students either have experience in overseas or have aspirations to travel overseas, or they come from a wealthy. well-connected families that have influential positions in society. One of the female students in Class 2-J is Yukinoshita Yukino, who is sitting a few feet beside the "couple" glaring at them for their distracting and annoying PDA. However, she saw a silver-lining for encountering them.

"If these two are here," Yukinoshita pondered and stood up, not interrupting the "couple" nor being noticed. "Then that means Yuigahama-san is here. We can discuss the progression of Tobe's request."

"Yukinon!" Just as she was about to sneak out of the temple to not gain the "couple"'s attention, Yuigahama unnecessarily shouted and gained almost everyone's attention including Hachiman and Minami.

"Yukinoshita-san?" The brown-haired girl mumbled as she turned to look at the Ice Queen's back. Hachiman just closed his eyes and kept his head low to avoid being involved in a scene. Yukinoshita only stood there before taking a deep sigh and smiled at the orange-haired girl.

"Hello, Yuigahama-san. Shall we go over there for a private discussion?"

"Okay!" Yuigahama complied and followed Yukinoshita to the hallways, passing by Hayama and the rest of his clique.

"So, how are we doing with the request?" Yukinoshita wasted no time to ask the main question.

"Ah, let me call Iroha-chan first!" Yuigahama pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number. After a few rings, someone answered and a girl's cute voice was heard on the phone.

_"Yahallo! Yui-senpai!"_ Isshiki called.

"Yahallo! Iroha-chan! We need to talk about Tobecchi's request. Do you have time?"

_"Yeah! It's good that it's break time here._" After Isshiki's answer, Yuigahama put the call on speaker for the three of them to discuss as clubmates.

"So back to my first question, how are we doing with the request?" Yukinoshita repeated.

"It's not as easy as we thought." Yuigahama answered.

_"Hmmm~, well let's still take it slow or else Ebina-senpai might feel turned off,"_ Isshiki explained. _"Let's make them feel naturally close."_

"Fair point," Yukinoshita agreed and pulled out a folded paper. "I don't know if this makes up for not assisting you, Yuigahama-san, but I came up with some ideas myself."

"Ah, It's no biggie, Yukinon!" The orange-haired girl reassured her friend as she grabbed the paper. "So, what's this?"

"Famous spots in Kyoto."

"That's more than enough! Thanks!"

"_In fact, I should be the one to apologize, Yukinon-senpai. I'm not there when you need me..."_

"It's fine, Isshiki-san. We should discuss more tactics while we're at it."

* * *

N**ighttime 7:00 PM**

The sign lit a glowing yellow with the word "LAWSOON" that is visible to people in the dark. The Lawsoon store is open for 24 hours like any other convenience store so any Kyoto citizen in this area who likes strolling at night can stop by here to buy, take a break from the dark, or read magazines. Our protagonist entered to find any interesting magazines or shounen mangas to kill time. As he walked towards the magazine shelf, someone called out to him.

"Well, if it ain't Hikio." He heard a female voice in his right and he turned around to see Miura Yumiko wearing a purple jacket and a pair of black pants. Hikigaya grabbed a magazine open without looking and just stared at the Fire Queen warily.

_"She knew I am sort of associated with that policewoman which I didn't know she was her mother until yesterday,"_ He contemplated. _"I'm sure her first question will be-"_

"What's your relationship with my mom?"

"That one..." He internally sighed the moment she asked that question. It was obvious for him that Miura would ask that eventually and luckily for our protagonist, he is mentally prepared for any possible scenario for this moment.

"Didn't she already told you?" At last, he spoke with calmness in his voice. "I got into an accident and she helped me get into a hospital. After that, we bump into each other a lot which incredibly disturbed me."

"Hmmm~?" Miura is suspicious of that reasoning. It is the same as what her mother told her but she felt some deceit behind the explanation. Hikigaya was glad that he heard their conversation in the ride to the station so he can make up more excuses for every question the Fire Queen is about to ask.

"I'm telling you this once," She spoke. "Stay away from mom."

"That depends on her," He answered with the same calmness. "It's not like I want to see her. She just suddenly appeared out of nowhere when I was just taking a stroll."

"Hmph, like hell I believe that crap."

"Whether you believe it or not, it's the truth."

"Really? Or maybe you got arrested for doing something?"

"Pfft, I may be against the structure of society but I won't stoop so low as to commit any crimes or forms of delinquency."

"What's with that? Gross. And do you think anyone's gonna believe that when you look like that?"

"Mundane accidents and got into a fight with my sister. Is there anything else you want to ask at the cost of my privacy?"

"As if I want to know your private info, you creep. God, you're disgusting."

"Whatever," He closed the magazine and put it back on the shelf. "I already said what needed to be said."

"Oi," Miura caught his arm before he can escape. "You think I'd let you get away?"

"I'd rather if you don't hold my arm so tightly. Your strength doesn't fit a lady such as you."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere." The two had a stare-down waiting for the other to falter. Hikigaya's stare is pure calmness with a mixture of indifference to this situation but on the inside, he is very desperate for this to end with no further problems or at least with the most minimal problems. Miura's stare is filled with fire and venom, fit for the Fire Queen of Sobu High School as her determination is strong to find the truth from our protagonist. Thirty seconds passed yet none faltered. Both heard steps walking closer to them and Hikigaya see a tall man behind Miura. He is wearing a black jacket that covered his face with a hoodie and a pair of jeans. Hikigaya can see his face and his memory finally clicked.

"This guy is-!" Our protagonist's face is now filled with dread and rage. Miura is confused by his sudden expression so she turned around to look at where he was looking and saw the tall, hooded man behind her. Before she could even yell in surprise, Hikigaya pulled her arm closer to him and moved in front of her.

"Aren't you-?" The tall man spoke.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hikigaya's angry voice surprised both the tall man and the Fire Queen.

"It's okay," The tall man tried to reassure. "I don't want to hurt you nor anyone... Not anymore."

"H-Hikio?" Miura stuttered in fear but Hikigaya didn't answer as he only stared at him in his basic fighting stance. Our protagonist is worried if he can win the fight against this enemy he is fond of. Height is an advantage in a fight along with other physiques. He wished that he could learn how to counter against tall enemies but now that this situation occurs now, he had to improvise.

"I should go. Sorry for scaring you two." The tall man bowed in apology and went outside of the store. The two teenagers didn't avert their gaze from the entrance. After a few seconds, Miura finally spoke.

"W-who was that?"

"...One of the guys who tried to rape Mi-, Isane."

"What?! Shouldn't he be in jail?"

"Yeah, even if he turned himself in, a half-month in prison is not enough of a penalty from an attempted rape."

"Then..." Miura hesitated to speak as to not bring any mindless speculation to prevent fear from running through her veins. Meanwhile, Hikigaya already came up with a theory from the tall man's sudden appearance.

_"Could it be that this mystery person is responsible? For him to have that authority to free prisoners is..."_ He shook his head before finishing his inner monologue as he noticed that there is a more concerning matter right next to him. "For now, Let's get back to the inn, okay?"

"Eh?" Miura looked at him and saw his eyes turned back to normal. The same eyes that she saw yesterday. In contrast to his usual stoic and dead-fish eyes, she can see that they are now filled with determination and focus on someone that matters to him. To her, it's like a different person appeared to protect her.

"He's pretty handsome, isn't he?"

The words of her mother echoed in her mind but shook that thought away. Miura turned her head away from our protagonist to hide her blush. She tried to remind herself that the only boy she's in love with is the blonde prince, Hayama while closing her eyes remembering all the sweet things he did to others and to her. Hikigaya raised an eyebrow from her expression as he felt concerned.

"Oi, you okay?"

"Ah- yeah... I'm fine." Miura fiddled a strand of her blonde hair as she said that.

"...Let's go?" He reached out a hand. "Or are you buying something important here? I can wait."

"N-no, let's get out of here." She took his hand out of instinct as they made their way out of the store. The night is silent and cold in Kyoto, but instead of the comfort Hikigaya felt last night, this one is more awkward but very serious. While they walk, he looks left and right to see if there is anyone suspicious as he firmly holds the Fire Queen's hand.

"Sorry about this." Hikigaya apologized.

"Why?" She asked in confusion.

"You're creeped out by me holding your hand, right?"

"I would be... but not at this moment."

As for Miura, she is only following Hikigaya from behind as she felt his strong yet gentle hand that is filled with scars. Each passing minute, her initial view of our protagonist slowly diminish. Whether her view of him is better or worse, it is unknown to her. However, she felt like she could rely on him for situations such as this. It made Miura confused why her friend would expel him from the club and-.

"Miura, we're almost there." Hikigaya pointed at the building. "You go first while I stay here for a few seconds and get inside."

"Huh? Why?"

"So no one would assume that we're doing something indecent at night. I don't want to have another pointless rumor flying around. I have my plate full."

"I'll just explain to them what happened."

"No. Even if you tell them the truth, they will gossip one way or another. Besides, at what chances do you think they will believe what you said?"

"...Fair enough," She sighs. "Wait you haven't told me the truth about you and mom."

"I already told you the truth."

"Tch, you annoying crap. I swear I'll get it out of that mouth."

"Why me? Just ask your mother."

"She'll just play with me till I get tired of asking."

"Like mother, like daughter..."

"What?!" Her grip on his hand hardened

"Nothing. Anyway, now is not the time to talk. Just get going already."

"Hmph!... thanks for escorting me." She let go of his hand and ran into the inn leaving Hikigaya alone outside at night. He contemplated if he should find the tall man and face him but he decided against it as he doesn't have any leads and nighttime could be more dangerous than he initially thought in this region. He concluded that he needs to be cautious against what is about to come and protect Sagami at all costs if she's the tall man's target.

"My normal school life is turning into a crime fic." He sighed from that thought. "Life is a cruel mistress."

* * *

**Next Day.**

"Yukinon, are you okay?" Yuigahama asked in concern for her friend.

"I-I'm fine." Yukinoshita reassured her between heavy breaths. She was tired from climbing the stairs to the temples and getting through the crowds despite her athletics and physique. She held her can of refreshments firmly while sitting on a bench. She sighed but not from exhaustion but from frustration by the progress of Tobe's request. So far, Their tactics didn't work even if Tobe and Ebina interacted, it didn't feel romantic in the two girls' point of view. They decided to take a break and discuss this matter as Yuigahama's cellphone rang and looked at the screen to see who it was.

"It's Iroha-chan!" She answered the call and put on speaker mode. "Yahallo!"

_"Yahallo, Yui-senpai! How was the request?"_

"There's progress... I think." Yuigahama said with doubt on her voice.

_"It's not going well, isn't it?"_ Isshiki asked in a deadpan tone.

"No, it is not," Yukinoshita answered. "But we have to keep making progress."

"Do you think we should tell Tobecchi to call off the confession?"

_"Maybe not. Tobe-senpai and Ebina-senpai have known each other since first semester, right?"_

"Yeah."

_"Then I say we keep it going! Surely they've been close already and you guys see them acting unromantic because that's their thing... or something."_

"Hmm..." Yukinoshita held her chin as she contemplated her junior's words. "Perhaps, you are right. And if the confession fails, then there is nothing we can do."

"You sure?" Yuigahama has still doubts about this. She felt that there could be horrible consequences that will affect her friends, particularly her clique. The orange-haired girl thought that they should call off the request but it could be disrespectful to Tobe's determination to see this through. If all fails, then she will embrace the outcomes. However, she wants to use every opportunity she had left to stop this before it could get worse so filling their clubmates with doubt is worth a try.

_"We can't stop now!"_ Isshiki answered.

"She is right, Yuigahama-san," Yukinoshita followed suit. "Let's look around for more tourist spots for the confession event while taking a break."

"If you say so." The two girls stood up and walked around the streets and bought food such as croquette and bread. Isshiki is still in the call conversing with them about mundane topics and the enjoyment Yuigahama and Yukinoshita are having so far in Kyoto. Days after they expelled Hikigaya, the two girls (or at least Yuigahama) were worried how they will recruit a new member of the Service Club. They asked Hiratsuka for help but she can only promote their club only with posters and talk with students as a guidance counselor and mention the club to them. But one day, Isshiki Iroha suddenly barged in their clubroom with a letter of approval from Hiratsuka, begging them to join.

It was like a miracle to them. (at least to Yuigahama)

Isshiki helped with the advertising of their club since she has enough social skills to convince other students, especially the 2nd and third years. Thanks to her, the Service Club received more requests than ever and they solved all of them like it was nothing. Yukinoshita Yukino with her intelligence; Yuigahama Yui with her friendly attitude; and Isshiki with her social skills and knowledge on trends and issues regarding the young generation and her latent abilities. With those combine, they're an unstoppable trio (at least that's how Yukinoshita felt).

_"Eh?! That seriously happened?!"_

"Yeah! Yeah! It's like, right at my face! You should've seen it too, Yukinon!"

"I... rather not."

"Does Yukinon-senpai not like haunted houses?"

"I-it's not a matter of preference, but seeing the benefits of going to a haunted house. From my perspective, there are several more negatives than positives. Your heartbeat will increase due to the emotion of fear which is very unhealthy considering your heartbeat increased not because of proper exercise but on unnecessary anxiety and- " Yukinoshita kept on explaining to her two clubmates why she couldn't go to a haunted house but Yuigahama and Isshiki can already tell that the Ice Queen is too afraid to face the horror genre.

_"Hehehe~"_ Isshiki giggled on the phone. _"You should check the haunted house next!"_

"I refuse," Yukinoshita replied without hesitation. "I told you, the benefits-"

_"Benefits, shmenefits. It's not like it'll kill you, senpai~."_

"I humbly refuse."

"I'll come with you!" Yuigahama said with excitement. "I entered there once so I won't be as scared as before so lean on me!"

"Not you, too." Yukinoshita held her forehead and sighed. Before she could retort, a shout from a lady is heard from the other side of the road.

"Someone, please! He snatched my purse!"

The two girls along with some bystanders looked at where she pointed and saw a man with an unshaved beard running away from a police officer. Just as the police officer could close in, another man appeared from an alley and pushed the officer away and followed the snatcher. It seems they are associated with one another as the man held a purse and a golden watch.

"HAHAHAH! That's what you get!"

"Can't catch us now, can y-" Before the unshaved snatcher could finish his sentence. He was met with a fist right at his face and fell back to the ground. While he was grunting in pain on the ground, his accomplice saw two high school students: a boy with a scar on his right cheek and a girl with short, brown hair behind him. Before the accomplice could stop, the male student did a thrust kick at his stomach and made him tumble backward.

"Gah!"

"Stay back, Minami." Hikigaya stood in a basic fighting stance as the unshaved snatcher went back on his feet and pulled out a pocketknife.

"Bastard!" As the snatcher went for a thrust, Hikigaya suddenly remembered the rich delinquent's technique back at the sushi restaurant. From the way he maneuvered against his fist to the painful feeling from experiencing it, our protagonist understood the delinquent's movements and ready himself. Hikigaya caught the snatcher's wrist that he used for a thrust attack, then grabbed his collar of his shirt and did a judo throw in quick succession. He pummeled the criminal into the ground in his back and was immobilized but the fight is not over.

"What in the hell..." The accomplice slouched on his feet and stared at Hikigaya with an angry expression. He picked up the snatcher's pocket knife and charged at the student. Our protagonist dodged each swing and thrust and deflected few of the swings by moving the criminal's wrist where he held the knife. After ducking under a thrust attack, the student swung his right elbow to his gut, hit his throat with a karate chop with the same arm and ended the fight with a left front kick in the face.

"I have enough of knives and sharp things," Hikigaya said between breaths. "Glad that I watched a video on countering opponents wielding weapons."

"Hachiman, are you okay?" Minami clung on to his arm.

"I'm fine." He reassured her and looked towards the lumping police officer approaching them.

"Woah, that was crazy, kid!" The officer praised him. "Thanks for the help. Bastard pushed me hard and landed my head into a pole."

"Are you alright, officer?"

"I'm was dangerous what you did but still pretty cool." The officer gave him a thumbs up and handcuffed the two snatchers. "I'll send these two to the police station and return what they stole. You enjoy your date now. There's an unusual amount of criminal activity here recently, so be careful."

"It's not a date," Hikigaya denied his claim. "We're just doing important business."

"Just the two of you?"

"... Yes."

"Sounds like a date to me!" The officer grinned at them before leaving while dragging the two criminals. "See ya, kid!"

"Hachiman," Minami pinched Hachiman's side while still clinging to his arm. "What do you mean by business?"

"We're trying to get back my lost boyfriend points, right? That means we're working, so this is classified as an important business."

"That doesn't sound like a date at all..."

"Because it isn't. I'm just making up for that night we had."

"Don't say things that make horrible misunderstandings, you idiot!" The two walked away from the scene as if nothing happened. They were on a "date" as an apology for the worthless discussion that night. It was pure coincidence that they encountered the criminals and Hikigaya dealt with them like the secret hero he is. Unbeknownst to them, the bystanders watched the whole scene with a mix of shock and amazement to his movements. The "couple" completely ignored everyone as usual, not noticing that the two Service Club members saw the whole scene. Yuigahama almost dropped her phone as she looked at the retreating form of the "couple". Yukinoshita just stared particularly at Hikigaya with widened eyes as she tried to process the reality of this incident. Isshiki is trying to call out to them on the phone until the orange-haired girl mumbled.

"Hikki..."

_"Hikki?"_ Isshiki heard the girl's whisper on the phone. She contemplated on who that nickname is from until she remembered. Hikigaya Hachiman, the loner student that hurt a girl, and the hero secretly known as "Isato". To Isshiki, he is a brave man who shouldn't be risking himself to save strangers. Someone like Hayama is more fit to play the hero role yet it's the most unexpected person who did the job instead. This piqued the cute junior's curiosity. She wants to know his mindset that led him to make such a dangerous decision. A man who is nothing did the most out of everything.

_"Um, heeeelllloooo~!?"_ Isshiki called out to the two clubmates on the phone once more and finally received their attention.

"Ah sorry, Iroha-chan!" Yuigahama is the first to respond. "Something just happened and-"

"Shall we go?" Yukinoshita suddenly walked forward. Her orange-haired friend can't see her expression and just follow in worry.

"Eh? Ah, wait for me!"

* * *

_"This is nerve-wracking."_ Hachiman contemplated the events of the Kyoto trip so far. _"Ever since last night, all I've been thinking about is what that policewoman said two days ago, no matter what I do to get my mind off of it. So much for distracting myself..."_

"Is something wrong, Hachiman?" Minami asked him. "You've been spacing out a lot."

"Yeah, you're still clinging to my arm." He answered without hesitation.

"Ah," She let go and averted her gaze from him. "S-sorry. So where do you want to go next?"

"Chojiro."

"That sushi restaurant? You keep bringing it up."

"You're the one who introduced me to it so my curiosity piqued. Plus, it's lunchtime, so it's perfect."

"Well then, let's hope that it's as awesome as they said on the internet reviews!" She grinned. They've been walking for a minute until they reached their destination and went inside. Chojiro is a sushi joint known for its perfect blend of 21st-century technology with the ancient art of sushi making. IPads are available at every seat with details about every single roll of sushi available and photos of every dish. Customers can easily learn about how the rolls are made and order with a few taps of their fingers. The ingredients are extremely fresh and affordable at the same time. Almost everything they've read about this joint is present the moment they entered inside.

"Wow, there's literally an iPad on each table." Minami said in awe.

"Where should we sit?" Hachiman asked.

"Near the window." She pointed at an empty four-seater near the window and he complied because he can't find any seat for two and the seats at the conveyer belt are full. A few feet into the seat however, Hachiman noticed two people sitting in another four-seat table beside the same window. A man and a woman sitting across from each other. The man has a shaved head with black eyes while the woman has hazelnut hair tied into a ponytail and brown eyes. Hachiman froze as he recognized these two perfectly and their surnames reminded him of his dreadful childhood. The man looked up from the iPad and his eyes widened as he saw our protagonist.

"Oh, Hikigaya? Is that you and your girlfriend?!" He said with a huge grin while waving at the "couple". The woman turned around and surprise is evident in her expression.

"Isehara-san..." Hachiman mumbled.

"Hachiman, do you know them?" Minami asked while looking at him in wonder.

"They're the owners of that sushi restaurant," He explained. "You know, where we first talked after... that."

"Oh...OH! then that means," She leaned closer to him to whisper. "They're that couple you saved from that rich scumbag?"

"Yeah."

"Don't just stand there, you two!" Isehara Yusuke said to them. "Join us! We were actually talking about you two."

"What do you think?" The hero asked Minami.

"It's fine," She answered enthusiastically with a smile. "from the looks of it, you met a lot of cool people so I want to know them."

"If you say so." They complied with Yusuke's request and sat at their table. Mihara moved to her husband's side while Minami and Hachiman sat next to each other. They all look at the iPad and watched videos of how this restaurant made the sushi before deciding on an order. All of them are amazed by how advanced the service here. Hachiman deduced that this is the Iseharas' first time eating in this restaurant. Each video presented various sushi with chefs using different techniques traditionally and technologically, which made the four have a difficult time deciding on their orders. After five videos, Yusuke tapped the screen to order what they've chosen and with one last tap, their orders are sent to the kitchen.

"Never thought I'd see you here, kid!" Yusuke spoke. "By the uniform, are you guys on a school trip?"

"Yes," Hachiman answered. "This is our third day here so we'll be leaving tomorrow."

"What a coincidence," Mihara said with her hands clasped together. "Today is also our last day before going home tomorrow. Would you like to come to our restaurant once we go back to Chiba? It'll be our treat."

"Really?!" Minami asked in excitement. "We don't want to be rude but..."

"It's fine! It's fine!" Yusuke waved it off. "Consider this as thank you to Hikigaya for helping us back there. How was your arm, by the way? I remember that blade sank deep in your sorry flesh."

"What?!" Minami gasped in shock and stared at the hero with a worried expression.

"I'm fine," Hachiman reassured her. "My arm is healing well. Probably by tomorrow, I can remove the bandage as long as I'm not doing anything reckless with it."

"That's good to hear," Mihara sighed in relief. "So how are you two enjoying Kyoto so far?"

"Ah, it's been fun!" Minami answered. "We did lots of stuff like going to a haunted house, checking our fortunes and taking lots of pictures."

"Hahahaha! That's good. That's how young romance should go." Yusuke laughed in joy.

"You sound like an old man, darling." Mihara teased.

"Pfft, I'm not that old yet."

"I didn't expect that you two would go here on your vacation trip," Hachiman said. "If you don't mind me asking, why Kyoto?"

"Why Kyoto?" Yusuke repeated. "Because this is Kyoto. A place where Japan's tradition and modernity shine brightest. Also cool nature. My relatives kept on blabbering about it but hey, I'm not complaining. I just love it here so much even I kept on blabbering about it to my wife."

"He's not kidding," Mihara sighed. "Every time we talked about going on vacation, Kyoto is the first thing that came out of his mouth. Now that we're here, we can finally go someplace else before he decides to go back here again."

"You really can't blame him, Isehara-san," Minami said while waving it off. "Kyoto is just so awesome!"

"Ah, call me Mihara-chan, and I haven't got your name yet."

"Ah yes! My name is Sagami Minami, nice to meet you!"

"Minami-chan then!"

The four have a lengthy conversation about Kyoto and other mundane topics even after they've received their orders. At first, Hachiman felt awkward just by being in the Iseharas' proximity but it was slowly replaced with a sense of relief and normality as he talks to them without being nervous nor in pain. Well, he's only answering their questions with short replies and sometimes argued with Minami with awkward sarcasm but that is HIS normality in a conversation and it amuses the Iseharas. It felt strange to our protagonist as their representation of his childhood slowly diminished in his mind. The day after he helped them at that incident, he swore to never visit that place ever again, but now; he wants to go there as soon as possible.

"So you came here to observe them as a rival?" Hachiman asked while taking sushi into his mouth.

"Not my idea," Yusuke raised his hands while chewing food. "Mihara is a lot more competitive than you think."

"Isn't it strategic to observe your opponents," Mihara said after drinking a glass of water. "It's for our business, darling. Even the slightest chance, we have to take it to improve the restaurant."

"Wow, that's so cool, Mihara-san." Minami said with glee. After thirty minutes of conversation, they finished their plates and went outside. The Iseharas' are about to go to a place different from the "couple" but Minami asked if they could join which Yusuke declined first saying that they don't want to get in the way of their date. Minami blushed at that and both teenagers bowed farewell. However, before they go to their separate ways, someone stopped them

"Hikigaya-kun," Mihara calls out to him with her hand clutching her chest. "Can I talk to you alone? Just for a minute?"

"I... guess?" Hachiman hesitated until he followed Mihara. He wondered what she wanted to talk about in private. Is it the incident? Does she know about his childhood? Or is she part of the mystery person's game. All possibilities are plausible, even the least probable ones. He doesn't have enough information, so that increased his paranoia further. As they reached a certain area where the other two can't hear them, Hachiman and Mihara just stood there with the woman only showed her back and didn't turn around to face our protagonist. He waited patiently for her to speak but as each second passed, his anxiety grew but does his best not to show it from his expression to keep a conversation natural and calm. Mihara took a few deep breaths until she finally turned around with a serious expression.

"Hikigaya-kun," She took out a small, white envelope from her pocket. "Here, this is for you."

"Okay?" He took the envelop while raising his eyebrow in confusion. "What is this?"

"This is from my sister. You former elementary teacher."

"..."

"It's okay, Hikigaya-kun. You don't have to open it right away... She always wanted to be a teacher. Even if the school she worked at wasn't exactly a good one, she was still happy that she got the job. After giving birth to her daughter, things went south and she got desperate to keep the job while taking care of her. What I'm trying to say is please understand her circumstances. I know that she didn't help you to stop the-"

"It's okay, Isehara-san." Hikigaya interrupted.

"Eh?"

"All that ended four years ago," He explained. "I'm over it."

"R-really?"

"I'm... not exactly sure. I don't have a grudge against sensei but I still don't want to see her. She didn't help me at that time but she didn't hurt me either. I just hoped for something that never even existed. I waited for sensei to do something without considering what her circumstances were so it was natural I got what I deserve as a selfish child."

"Yes," Mihara approached him and held his right cheek and traced his scar. "That was what you were once. A child. You wouldn't understand anything adults go through, so I say it's natural for you to lean on to someone like your mother or your kind teacher. But don't say that you're selfish because you're not. If you were, you wouldn't go so far to save us, right?"

"..."

"You're such a sweet child, Hikigaya-kun." She removed her grasp from his cheek and smiled. "If you still think you were a selfish person in the past, then don't you think something changed in you over the years? You now have such a wonderful girlfriend beside you, and you became such a brave boy. Stop saying such awful things about yourself, because you changed them for the better. "

"... Thanks." That was all he could say before going back to their respective partners. After waving each other goodbye, the couples walked to their separate ways. Minami asked our protagonist multiple times what he and the wife of Isehara talked about, but he refused to reveal anything and she gave up. On the other side, The Iseharas are walking silently on the district looking forward without sharing a single word. This is Mihara's moment of contemplation and Yusuke respected her wish by letting her swim deep into her mind.

_"We always have a soft spot for kids,"_ Yusuke said in his mind. _"After our baby died before he could even be born, we always treat kids as if they were our own. From babies to teenagers, we always imagined what would it be like to raise a child through interacting with them."_

"Darling." Mihara finally spoke.

"Yeah?" He responded while looking forward.

"This time for sure... I will bear a child."

"I know."

"I honestly want our baby to be a boy."

"Heeeh~? Why a boy? Not complaining or anything."

"It's just... I want him to be like Hikigaya-kun." The words coming from Mihara made the two stop walking. The people and the entire surroundings are a blur to them, as if the two entered their own world by her words. "I want him to be awkward when talking to others like him, have this tired expression like him, to be so self-depreciating and smart."

"What's with the negative traits?"

"Hey, smart isn't a negative."

"Still lots of negatives."

"I know. It's because that if our boy have those things, we can take care of him. I feel like I can act as a mother forever if he's so full of flaws. He will lean on us every day until he becomes strong."

"That's a messed up way of thinking there."

"Yes. But that's how I want my son to be after meeting Hikigaya-kun."

"I doubt our future son will be like him though. We're too energetic and hardworking."

"Ahahahaha!" His wife smiled at that. "You're right. Then I guess Hikigaya-kun will have to do!"

"Hah?" He raised an eyebrow from that. "What the hell are you saying, woman? He's not an orphan."

"I know, I know. But I would love for him to come by our restaurant sometime," She ran ahead of him and turned around with the brightest smile Yusuke is very fond of as the sun above their heads emanated a heavenly light under his beautiful wife. "I'll spoil Hikigaya-kun until he begs us to be our son!"

"I... don't know if you're joking or not." He facepalmed at her ridiculous declaration. "But yeah, I can't wait to see that kid again."

* * *

"Damn, I'm starting to get nervous!" Tobe's loud voice echoed in the inn while scratching his head to which his friends, Yamato and Ooka, told him to lower his voice in courtesy of other guests. It is now evening as the sun slowly sets for the coming of night. The moment is getting closer as time closes in but one issue is that his confidence wane in each passing second. Tobe asked help from the Service Club to ask his crush, Ebina Hina, to go out with him and he's planning to use this school trip for that moment. From his perspective, it was going well so far. He talked to Ebina several times and had moments alone together so he concluded that the plan is a success. Now to determine the success, he will confess to her at the bamboo grove of Arashiyama recommended by his good female friend, Yuigahama.

"It's all good." Yamato tried to cheer him up.

"You're getting a girlfriend, huh?" Ooka said with hands on his waist. "I bet you'll stop hanging out with me."

"That won't happen, man!" Tobe loudly said while still clutching his head. "This is baaadd!"

"Damn, first Hikitani-kun and now you?" Ooka folded his arms. "I really need to get a girlfriend too. Dontcha think, Yamato?"

"Don't know," Yamato shrugged. "If you do, I doubt she'll be as pretty as Sagami or cute as Ebina."

"Whaaat~? I'm gonna catch a girl better than them!"

"Hah! In your dreams!" Tobe exclaimed with an arrogant smirk. "Ebina-san is the best. I bet you can't even find a better girl than her."

"That's a bet then!" The three boy laugh as Tobe's anxiety dissipated for a moment. The door slid open as Hikigaya entered the room with an exhausted expression and sighed. The three friends looked at him in wonder while Totsuka noticed our protagonist's exhaustion and felt worried.

"Hachiman, is something wrong?" Totsuka asked while Hikigaya faceplanted on his futon.

"Minami, that's what happened." He answered in a muffled voice.

"Oh, your date! Did something bad happened?"

"Yeah, she's been dragging me to a lot of places non-stop."

"But you enjoyed it, right?"

"... I guess." He said with another sigh. His day with Minami is only part of his reasons for exhaustion. So many things happened to him in the span of three days in the Kyoto trip as if lightning struck at the same place numerous times. Too many things for him to contemplate on and need time to rest. Every fiber of his being said to him that the worst has yet to come and he wished that those instincts were wrong until he remembered what the policewoman said once more. Then, his thoughts came back to the tall man he once faced weeks ago and Hikigaya already knew he will face him again.

"Damn, looks like having a girlfriend is tough," Yamato said with a smirk. "Having any second thoughts, Ooka?"

"Pfft, hell no." Ooka shook his head. "But I kinda feel sorry for ya, Tobe. You gonna go through the same thing as Hikitani-kun."

"It'll all be worth it, man." Tobe retorted. "Ah, I'm getting nervous again!"

"Hey, Tobe." Hayama just entered the room.

"Oh, what's up, Hayato?" Tobe clutched his head once again. "I'm losing my mind here!"

"...Actually, never mind," Hayama shook his head and smiled. "I thought I'd tell you to break a leg, but I lost confidence once I got a look at you."

"Wow, you jerk! Ah, but that helped me relax a little." Tobe went back to conversing with his other two friends while Hayama approached Hikigaya who is still lying on the futon with his face down.

"Hikitani-kun." He called out to our protagonist. "Can we talk outside?"

"No," Hikigaya immediately refused.

"Please," Hayama pleaded and Hikigaya raised his head to look at him. "This is serious."

"It's time, huh." He said in his thoughts. "Can he at least ask an hour later so I could rest more? I'm not some doll anyone can share nor play with... I think I already am a doll thanks to that woman. Minami has been a lot more... aggressive lately. Ugh, enough thinking, time for the Prince to beg the commoner only to be denied in the worst possible way"

"Fine," Hikigaya complied and followed Hayama outside. The walk wasn't that long since their inn is near to one of the landmarks in Kyoto, the Togetsu-Kyo Bridge. The wooden bridge spans the Katsura River in front of Arashiyama Mountain, offering incredible views. The spring cherry blossoms and fall colors draw large crowds, as the scenery is spectacular. The river reflects the setting sun with leaves of autumn truly matched the color of the sunlight. Hayama and Hikigaya stood near the side of the river facing each other.

"So? What do you want?" Hikigaya asked with indifference. "Though, I think I already know what you're going to ask."

"That saves me some trouble," Hayama said while laughing. "You're as smart as always."

"Cut the crap already. You're the one who gave me that one big hint and I just figured it out even though I don't want to."

"Sorry about that, but thanks for figuring out." Hayama sigh and wore a serious expression. "So let's cut to the chase, I need your help-"

"I refuse."

"... Please, I know this isn't any of your business-"

"Yeah, that's your problem, not mine. Also, I'm not part of the Service Club anymore so ask those girls instead."

"I doubt that Yukinoshita would stop. I can tell that she's going to see this through no matter the outcome."

"That figures," Hikigaya sighed and started walking away. "Welp, you're on your own. See ya."

"Please, Hikigaya-kun!" Hayama shouted as he bowed his head. "You're the only one left I can lean on."

"If this is all it takes to tear you apart, then maybe you weren't good friends with them at all."

"Maybe...but," Hayama clenched his fists while still bowing. "Once you lose something, it's gone forever."

"You're an idiot," Hikigaya turned around to look at him in annoyance but his voice remains calm and indifferent. "You're trying your best not to lose such shallow relationships. What a wasted effort."

"You think so?" Hayama stood straight and looked at him. "I don't they're shallow in my view."

"Then you need to get some glasses because your view has problems."

"...Right now, my surroundings mean everything to me."

"And so you told Tobe to forget about it but he didn't. Unlike you, he wants to change things."

"Change but at what cost? We can't predict the future so we have to keep things careful and steady."

"Steady? It's been months now since the start of our second year and you think that's not steady enough for you?"

"No, it isn't. You saw Hina's face throughout the trip. She isn't ready to open up just yet."

"Is that right? Then I was wrong. It's not you who is selfish but her. She's a fujoshi and all but I never would've guessed that she is a rotten piece of-"

"Stop it," Hayama marched toward him and now they're one feet apart from each other. Hikigaya's expression indicates his irritation to the Prince's issue grew while Hayama's face is full of anger. "Don't say another word about her or any of my friends."

"Your so-called 'friends' are nothing but shallow servants who satisfy your peaceful time." Hikigaya folded his arms. "I guess both you and Ebina are selfish. All that worse-case scenarios are getting through your head. Your clique falling apart is just from your perspective."

"In that case, what would you do? I know that you and Sagami-san are not really dating so what would you do if she asks you out for real."

"Then I'd accept her." Hikigaya closed his eyes as he answered until he opened them again realizing what he just said. He saw Hayama surprised by his immediate answer and so is himself.

_"Why did I say that? And without hesitation either..."_ He contemplated. _"Right now, Minami just became my friend so it's unnatural for me to have these feelings so soon. Even if she said that we've been friends for weeks now, the progression is too fast. Am I being desperate again? Or-"_

"You're amazing, Hikigaya-kun," Hayama interrupted his thoughts with a smile. "More amazing than me..."

"... You really need to get some eyeglasses." Hikigaya retorted but there was a hint of nervousness from his voice. "Me? Better than you? I'm still at the bottom of the social pyramid and I don't have the same abilities as you."

"Even if you are," Hayama maintained his smile. "You're still better than me."

"Tch, I'm already tired so I'm going back to the inn." Hikigaya turned his back on the prince and walked away once more.

"Just how do you do it?!" Hayama shouted. "After being expelled from the Service Club, the place that you hold dear. After being spat on by your own two former friends, how did you just move on and have a good time with Sagami and the others."

"...I don't have the answer you wanted," Hikigaya stopped but didn't turn around to face him. "It was all just luck that I got close to her. If she didn't approach me any sooner, I would've actually cried in my bedroom and not go to school for days. Depression would be late to kick in and things would go downhill. It was all thanks to her."

"I see..." Hayama looked down and took a deep breath. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"...Yeah," Before our protagonist could take a step forward, Hayama's last words shocked him.

"Take care of yourself... and don't get yourself hurt, Isato."

From that, Hikigaya quickly turned around in shock and saw Hayama's back as he walked away with the sun setting further and slowly let the darkness envelop the river.

_"He must've found out the same way Hiratsuka-sensei did."_ Hkigaya sighed and decided to not go after him as he sees no problems from Hayama finding out his identity. He is sure that the prince will keep the commoner's secret safe so the hero continued walking back to the inn. Light posts are illuminating one by one as night enters. As he walked on the sidewalks, he noticed on the other side of the road a familiar person he wished he didn't encounter once again: Tall height, wearing a black hoodie which covered his head over, and a pair of jeans. He didn't want to speculate but his instincts knew that it was the same tall criminal.

_"What is he up to?"_

* * *

"Looks like Sagamin had a fun date." One of the female roommates said as she and the others watched the brown-haired girl squirming under her futon once again.

"Must be nice dating a cool boyfriend~."

"Didn't you say that you have a crush on that senpai? Why don't you make a move when we get back in school?"

"Y-yeah, but..."

"I'll help you out!"

"Me too!" The girls have begun to plan their friend's confession event while ignoring the still squirming Sagami on the futon screaming on her pillow. She and Hachiman went to many landmarks such as the Fushimi Inari Shrine with its iconic vermilion torii gates; the Monkey Park Iwatayama that comprises 120 snow monkeys called the "Japanese macaque" and they got in trouble for touching one (the macaque will act aggressively when staring to its eyes or make physical contact); And last but not the least, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove as they stroll through the paths lined with endless rows of towering bamboo trees. To them, it's as if they're walking to another world filled with wonder and nature. Overall, it was a wonderful "date" for her and perhaps the best day of her life.

"Excuse me~." A girl with the signature red-framed glasses and brown bobbed hair entered slid open the door.

"Ebina! What's up?" Miura stood up and spoke.

"Ah, well..." Ebina put her hands behind her and looked at Sagami. "I want to have a chat with Sagamin, that's all."

"Hm?" The mentioned brown-haired girl sat up and looked at Ebina. "What's the matter?"

"Can we talk privately?"

"...I don't see why not?" She stood up and followed Ebina outside until they reached towards a vending machine where no one can interrupt. Sagami felt anxious as Ebina is one of Hayama's friends although not as anxious when she's near the Fire Queen. To her, Ebina is more approachable than Miura because she thought that Ebina wouldn't give her the fiery eyes. Despite her fujoshi tendencies, she sees Ebina as a sociable and kind girl like Yuigahama.

"So uh... What do you want to talk about?" Sagami asked and Ebina took a deep breath.

"I want to ask you...about Hikitani-kun." Ebina exclaimed with an unusual serious expression on her face. This shocked Sagami due to not seeing her with that sort of expression unless it's about her fujoshi fantasies and other strange hobbies.

"C-could it be that she knows that he's the hero?" Sagami speculated. "I-If so, what should I do? Should I play dumb or just tell her the truth. I mean, I don't think she's the type to spill the beans to everyone but Hachiman would get mad at me for not keeping a secret. L-Let's just see how this plays out."

"Hachiman? What about him?"

"Well... How does it feel like to... y'know... date him?"

"...what?"

"I said how does it feel to have a boyfriend like him? Are you two good? Is he like, treating you well? Something like that."

"It's been a blast. You don't have to worry about him doing awful stuff on me, he's not that kind of person."

"Yeah? That sounds great..." And then there is silence. Sagami's confusion grew from Ebina's questions. Anxiety also began to develop the longer this silence holds as she feared that her speculation might be correct. Ebina pulled something out of her pocket to which Sagami widened her eyes in fear that it could be evidence of Isato's identity. Her fear subsided with a sigh as it is nothing but a coin in the glasses-wearing fujoshi's hand.

"What is it?" Ebina asked as she noticed Sagami's expression.

"O-oh nothing! Hahaha..." She answered while scratching her cheek. Ebina insert the coin in the vending machine and pressed a button. They heard the sound of a can falling and she crouched down to take two cans of soda.

"Here," Ebina reached to her a purple can.

"T-thanks." Sagami took the can stared at it for a while. Ebina leaned her back against the wall as they both opened their cans and took a sip before continuing the conversation.

"So uh... Here's the thing."

"Mhm?"

"There's this guy that has a crush on me."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, and I think he will confess his feelings tonight."

"Wow, that guy's got guts. So what's the problem?"

"I... want to reject him."

"Oh? Is it one-sided?"

"You could say that," Ebina held the can tighter. "This guy is a friend of mine and if I reject his feelings, our friendship could fall apart."

"Oh," Sagami wore a look of realization. "I get what you mean but I don't think rejecting him will hurt your friendship."

"I bet it will. Once I reject him, we'll start avoiding each other and then everything goes downhill at that point. I'm scared that things won't be the same."

"You make it sound so complicated."

"Because it is..."

"Hmmm... Say how long have you two been friends?"

"Since the start of second year, but we didn't like, talk to each other much or have moments together or something."

"But is he nice?"

"Well, yeah."

"Is he cool?"

"Hmm... Yeah, he can be kinda cool."

"Is he smart?"

"Nope, he's a bit of an airhead." Ebina said between giggles.

"Heeeh~? Theeeen... Is he good at sports?" Sagami asked and took a sip of her can once more.

"He's a member of the soccer club." She answered while fiddling with her own can.

"Oooohhh! Then what's the problem? Is he so stupid that he pisses you off?"

"Well... he CAN get annoying but not to that extent. I'm just not ready for change, y'know? No matter what answer I give him, things will change. So I wanna ask; How did you feel when confessing to Hikigaya-kun?"

"Oh...It's... Uh..."

"Or was he the one who confessed?"

"He did the confessing." Sagami answered. That was a lie but there is some truth in it. She sees his proposal of friendship counts as a confession (not a love confession) and she's trying her best to lie. Hikigaya never told her what their cover story will be if any of their classmates ask them regarding their relationship but fortunately, no one had asked them about it. Totsuka and Kawasaki knew that they're not really dating and everyone was afraid of Hikigaya back then. It was relatively peaceful despite rumors and gossips flying around school.

"Then how did you feel when that happened?" Ebina asked.

"Well I felt glad since I feel the same way." She answered immediately.

"But what if you didn't?"

"Then I'd reject him." Sagami's immediate answer surprised Ebina.

"S-seriously? Just like that?" Ebina asked.

"Yeah, he and I have been through...stuff."

"You mean him talking trash at you during the festival?"

"That's part of it and you would understand his reasons if you saw what I did as chairman. After that incident, we just... hang out and got closer. It's hard to imagine we would avoid each other after the fun things we did and how we understand each other. It's like... You two did all that and one event is enough to end it? Wouldn't that weird?"

"No, it makes sense because it'd feel awkward when you two are close after rejecting his feelings."

"True, but if that's what it takes for us to end our friendship then I guess we were never real friends at the start." Sagami drank the can down to the last drop and tried to do a basketball throw with it into the trash bin but failed the shot. "Ah, missed it."

"I don't believe they're not my real friends," Ebina retorted as she finished drinking her own can. "I really want to be with them."

"But you're afraid of things like change?" Sagami picked up her can and tried another shot and this time it went in and she did a fist pump for that accomplishment. "Whether you reject him or you go out with him, or worse, run away, things will change. The only thing you can do is pick a direction where the change is the best for you. There's no perfect change, you have to suck up all the good and bad."

"...I see." Ebina was convinced by the brown-haired girl's words. She now sees that the scenario she will enter is inevitable and things won't last. If she runs away, Tobe will be left heartbroken and she will be regarded as a rotten coward, which she really is in her opinion. Ebina just holds her current relationship with others as precious to her because the clique is something she never had since the unpleasant times in middle school. She knew very well that she was just trying to maintain her own happiness instead of others. Enforcing stagnation while others seek endeavor in their school life. Such a selfish wish is understandable but despicable at the same time.

"Thanks, Sagamin." Ebina mimicked Sagami's action and shoot her can to the trash bin perfectly.

"Woah! Nice shot!" Sagami praised her.

"I know what to do." The glasses-wearing fujoshi gave a bright smile.

"Glad I could help."

* * *

Hikigaya's body shivered as he walked. He didn't know if it's the cold temperature, the stretching darkness in the streets if Kyoto at night, or he is anxious from tailing a criminal a few feet away. Whatever the case, he is here now and the hero couldn't ignore what this tall man is scheming. All Hikigaya has to do is check on said schemes and if it's a crime, call the police. Simple as that. However, his instincts tell him that the events will play out differently. Whether it's better or worse, the police might not get involved by the time he discovers something. He shook that thought and take deep but silent breaths to calm himself. There are still people outside so it made things easier for our protagonist to follow the man without being noticed. He then saw the tall man turned left in an alley.

_"Of course, it's gotta be alleys. Rats always crawl in tight and dark spaces."_ He grunted and entered the alley. It is as anyone can typically imagine of such a narrow pathway at night; dark, trash and litter everywhere, and perhaps a rotten smell. The walk continued to the end of the alley with Hikigaya hiding behind piles of garbage bags to stealthily follow. Near the end of the alley, both can see an abandoned school building. Its walls have crack and graffiti everywhere, and there are unclean windows with a few broken ones.

"You can come out now." The tall man turned around which indicates that he knew Hikigaya was following him. The hero hesitated but he revealed himself regardless. The two are now having a staredown with only the sounds of rodents crawling around and the distinct sounds of vehicles fill the silence.

"How did you know?" Hikigaya is the first to speak.

"I have good ears," The tall man explained. "Once I walked into this quiet alley, I hear small footsteps."

"What are you up to?"

"...I don't want you to get involved in this but... Maybe if you're up for it, this'll make things easier."

"Huh?"

"Isato-san, I need your help." The tall man bowed his head to him as he begged. Of all scenarios, this is not what Hikigaya had in mind. The criminal's plea for help could be a sign of our protagonist's struggle in the longest night of his life.

_"No matter where I go..."_ Hikigaya sighed. _"Trouble always follows."_

* * *

WHEW! We're finally getting close to the big action. And it's almost time for the climax in Tobe's confession. Will Ebina reject him? Or maybe give him a chance? What the hell is this tall guy's deal? Misfortune never stops for Hikigaya so let's pray that he'll make this through!

As always, thank you for reading this fanfic. Please leave a review as your opinions will help me make this story better.


	7. Chapter 7: Point of No Return

I'm back! Sorry it took so long to write this. Long story short, lots of things happened to me, then I got tired, and then I hit a writer's block. I lost my sense of direction on how to move this story forward but now I'm fully recovered and ready to write some more! I used Discord for the first time and joined a server that helped me in this story. It was a small help but chatting to someone and asking for help does pulled out a lot of my weight on my shoulders. Here's the link if you guys want to chat with me or want help. Although sometimes I won't be online to chat either because I was on another server or doing something: discord_._com/invite/XeSbTk

By the way, do you like the cover image? I hired someone to draw since I suck at drawing. He's adamdies from Fiverr. Price is fair depending on how you look at it, and his drawing skills are great. Thank you adamdies!

Well anyways. Review time!

_Kevin Grundvig: lol glad that I was on time. Thank you for enjoying this fic_

_MsDeus: Yes, that is a realistic outcome. I'll try my best on this chapter._

_bosdicha: Hayama is very smart and I feel like a lot of fanfic authors forgot about that. I'm going to try adding more Hayama scenes because I felt that it's appropriate._

_ChientzNimea2Wind: Wait no more! It's finally here. Sorry to took so long._

_ : I like Miura more after playing the VN. I'm very sorry that it took so long. I'll try to write this faster._

_iron-slayer-dragon: Well damn, I hope I don't disappoint you for this. I'll try my best!_

_Afnan-kun: You too as well. Stay safe and be healthy_

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Oregairu series as it is respectfully owned by the author and studios.**

* * *

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of Kyoto's top sights and for good reason: standing amid the soaring stalks of bamboo is like being in another world. Located in the village of Sagano on the west side of the city, the path through the Arashiyama bamboo grove is short yet immersive. There's something almost magical about the light dappling on the forest floor and the beauty of the bamboo trees standing tall on the sides of the narrow path. Just walking on the path is enough to see what made this place as one of the best tourist attractions in all of Japan.

And this could also be a perfect place for a romantic moment such as a love confession.

That's how the three current members reached the conclusion. The bamboo grove is their chosen ideal location for an event that will finish the request made by Tobe. They decided to do it at nighttime when they noticed the lanterns lying on the ground and there won't be any people passing by so no one will interfere. All the lanterns were lit as they illuminate the floor of the grove. The little light emanating low on the ground mixed with the darkness high above the bamboo trees created a different alluring picture of the grove in nighttime from daytime. Tobe is standing on the path of the bamboo grove near the exit while Hayama, his friends, and the two Service Club members are hiding behind the exit. They can see how Tobe is nervous judging by how he is fidgeting and his legs shaking.

Ooka and Yamato whispered words of encouragement to him while Yukinoshita and Yuigahama are looking at him with focus, ready to see the event through whether it'll end in success or failure. The two girls promised Isshiki to tell her the results when they get back in school. Meanwhile, Hayama is contemplating on Hikigaya's words earlier.

"_It was all just luck that I got close to her."_

For Hayama, that's not true. Knowing Hikigaya as the hero, "Isato", saving Sagami took more than just luck. The former loner encountered a situation that would endanger his life. A world that is outside of his ideals. Yet he chose to save the girl and then did more heroic deeds. The blonde prince wondered what made Hikigaya do all of that. What is his driving force to stop crime? Was it Sagami's crying face that drove him to heroism or was it his usual pessimistic ideals? The latter seemed more unlikely to him.

_"Maybe..."_ Hayama said in his mind. _"Did he became like that to prove something? Probably, or maybe it was like an instinct for him to jump into those dangerous incidents. Whatever the case may be, Hikigaya-kun... is in a different world from any normal teenagers like us. It's my turn to do the-"_

"She's here!" Ooka whispered excitedly as they all saw Ebina walking towards Tobe in a distance. The boy in mention froze before taking a deep breath to calm himself. He chose this and he will see this through. If she accepts his confession, then happy ending for everyone but if she rejects, that won't stop him. Tobe's feelings for Ebina are serious and he wants to cherish that feeling. He knew that things will change after this whatever the outcome may be, but he felt that if he didn't pursue this moment, he would lose an opportunity that matters to him. Tobe couldn't put it in words, but this is what he wanted in order to see a direction to a new stage for him.

After a few more steps, Ebina is now a few feet close to Tobe. She wears a smile only to hide her internal conflict.

"Uh... I..." Tobe stuttered, having difficulty saying one word.

All it takes for her is to give one answer to end the status quo.

"Ebina-san... I"

The status quo that she cherished. For others, it's not something to take seriously but this clique that she's part of, the social circle that she was accepted is the very first clique that gives her the enjoyment of school life she envisioned. Blending into the atmosphere is the most important lesson Ebina learned in middle school. To become the same people as the others is the only way to socially interact while adding a unique quirk to have individuality among the group. However, it came at the expense of forming genuine trust with her "friends".

"I-I like you Ebina-san! Please go out with me!"

And this moment confuses her the most. Why would any boy be interested in a fujoshi like her? Why is this boy in front of her confessed his feelings to her? These two questions kept repeating inside her mind but the answers will not appear unless she asks the boy in mention. Her hobby as a fujoshi is real but she always expresses it to an extreme extent for the purpose of scaring boys away. Being in a relationship would mean opening up to that partner.

That is what terrified the glasses-wearing fujoshi. She fears that if the partner or anyone else learned the deeper side of her, they would treat her differently. It is a simple rule in society that any element that is different from the social norms will be feared and isolated. There is no need for a class lecture on that when they experienced it a long time just by living among the community and having social interactions. And so humans hid those elements by wearing a facade for the sake of blending into social groups. Ebina is also wearing a facade, one that avoids all elements that would break the status quo, and yet here she is, facing one of the situations she wished it never happened.

Tobe bowed after he confessed, he stayed in that posture to wait for Ebina to speak at least a single word. For him, each second passed is like an hour and his anxiety began to return. Rejection or acceptance, he will accept either way although he favors the former more.

"Tobe," Ebina finally spoke and he straightened his back to face her. "Before I answer your confession there is one thing I want to ask: What do you like about me?"

"Eh?" The orange-haired boy is confused by her question.

"I said what do you like about me? What is it about me that made you have feelings towards me?"

"Oh... uh, i-it's," He stuttered as he tried to think of the right words to explain his reason while anxiety within him grows. _"U-uh why do I like her? Let's see... she's cute and uh... bright and breezy? Yeah! That's it! And uh...really nice and-"_

His thoughts stopped as he looked at Ebina's expression. There is nothing strange nor anything different. It's only her usual smile and it doesn't bring any important message or signs. However, He understood the meaning of that smile. It might be the last smile he will see as a friend.

_"I'm not that smart but... I know that things are gonna be different from here on out. And it's all because of me. I wanted this because I'm serious about it. Which is why..."_ Tobe took a deep breath and looked at Ebina with a warm smile. The girl's eyes widened in surprise by his expression.

"There's a lotta things I like about you, Ebina-san." He said with a calm voice. "You're cute, really nice and a lotta get up and go, especially when you talk about your hobbies. But what I like the most... is how honest you are."

"Eh?" Ebina gasped by that.

"Uh... It's like... You're not scared of shouting out what you like. Always getting all hearty with BL stuff and not thinking twice about it."

_"Honest?"_ Ebina contemplated his words. _"Me? Honest? You don't know the real me. I'm not honest... I'm..."_

"And I think that you're the best girl for me because of that. Y-Y'know, I'm... the loudest guy out of the bunch, shouting like no tomorrow and acting like a dumbass and being proud of it. I..." He took a deep breath once more and continued with a more serious expression on his face. "I don't have anything going for me, y'know? I suck at studying and I'm totes average in soccer so I thought maybe I can like... shout as totes loud as I can to like, shine or something... So uh, yeah... I thought if I can be the loudest and drive up the wall, I can have my own spotlight or something. One that is meant for me and maybe, if we start going out, we can shout together... or something..."

"... Do you really think I'm honest?" Ebina asked him while maintaining her normal smile. "I may have some secrets, y'know?"

"So what?" Tobe asked with a raised eyebrow. "Everyone has secrets, even me!"

"And I'm not willing to tell them to anyone ever." She lost her smile and wore a serious expression.

"That's fine! It's not like everyone will like, get all open and chummy with other buddies right out of the bat, y'know? So you can keep as many secrets as you want till you good to tell someone."

"And what if you won't see me the same way after learning more about me? Do you think the girl in front of you right now is the real one?"

"I don't know!" He said excitedly while grinning. "But that's what's awesome about hanging out with people, right? And besides, no matter what else you don't wanna show to me or anyone, I sure as hell know that this is part of the real you because you're happy!"

Those words hit the mark on Ebina. It may sound like a naive line from a naive person but it carries heart. Tobe Kakeru even explained his reason for his normal behavior in school and his reason is unexpected to both her and everyone else listening to their conversation. The glasses-wearing girl expected his reason for having a "crush" on her is because of her looks and how appealing her personality is. Instead, she is met with a serious and deep expression from someone like Tobe. After hearing his feelings, she realized it's not a crush or just showing interest to the opposite gender, it's love.

Tobe Kakeru is in love with Ebina Hina.

It's not a fragile feeling as she expected it to be, for it is a feeling of love that was developed from his weaknesses that he acknowledged. What made him fall in love is not her looks or quirky behavior as a fujoshi , it is her individuality. It was for a mere second but Ebina felt something within her heart when she fully assessed that and she didn't notice that she blushed lightly. The fujoshi shook her head and pretended to be indifferent from his answer.

"One last question... Why confess to me now?" She asked.

"Well... I thought maybe this is the perfect time and place to do it," He explained while scratching his head. "And I guess watching Hikitani-kun got me going."

"Hikitani-kun?" She said in a confused tone. The girl didn't expect the most hated man in Sobu High to be the reason for his bravery to do this event. She and the entire clique noticed how he express his dislike to the loner for what he did in summer camp and near the end of the festival. The orange-haired boy often makes jokes of Hikigaya's twisted personality and that's his way of showing his hatred. So now Ebina and the others hiding are wondering what did the loner do to motivate Tobe for this moment. And the answer...

"Um... I've been watching Hikitani-kun in the classroom and how he talks to Sagamin and the others." He explained with a smile. "It's like... I don't know how to say it right, uuuhh... It's like he's slowly getting a different aura, you get me? I don't know if it's probably the scars on his hands and face but it's like whenever I saw him talking to Sagamin, his usual creepy weirdo vibe is disappearing. I kinda want to feel that myself, turning into a different person... or something."

_"So it's because of Hikigaya-kun, huh? Well, I have my suspicions of that."_ Hayama said in his thoughts with a content smile. Days before the school trip, Tobe asked him for help in expressing his feelings to Ebina, and at that moment, the Golden Prince already speculated it was because of Hikigaya's and Sagami's current relationship that emanates an aura equal to his clique. Slowly but surely those two, especially Hikigaya, will change things.

Meanwhile, Yukinoshita clenched her fist at the mention of the loner's name. She noticed there is a great change in him two nights ago when they had their first talk in a while. The Ice Queen still doesn't know what those changes are but she suspected to be strong and overwhelming. And his way of getting to that point might be more shocking than what she imagined. Hayama looked at her and noticed the expression.

_"You realized it too, Yukinoshita, and now you're in denial. However, once you know what he has been doing, you'll understand how outmatched you are, how far he is from our world."_

"Is that so?" Ebina closed her eyes and contemplated about this night. All this happened because of Hikigaya and Sagami and she understood that perfectly. After all, she did come to the brown-haired girl for advice. In reality, Ebina just came to Sagami for distraction. She expected her to just act carefree to her situation as if it's nothing serious and so Ebina was surprised at how serious and positive Sagami's answer was.

_"Everything,"_ Ebina thought. _"Yui-chan, Yukinoshita-san, Hayato, Yumiko, Sagamin, and then Tobe... We were all just hanging out like normal, doing the usual stuff and he was just alone minding his own business until he joined the Service Club. He's like a mild rain that started pouring down at that moment and when he got kicked out, he turned into a storm. How did he do it? He was just starting to act like the rest of us so what's the difference...? No, it's the fact that a cynical loner like Hikigaya changing into a normal teenager is what makes up the storm. Sagamin, what does it feel like being a different person? Transforming because you're in love...?"_

_"Will I experience the same thing if I date someone? Probably, but,"_ Ebina looked at Tobe with a warm smile once again. _"Not right now..."_

"I'm sorry, Tobe. I can't go out with you..." She finally answered his confession with resolve yet there is still a small amount of fear lingering inside her. Tobe's eyes widened from her answer and he felt dejected for a moment until he wore a serious expression.

"C-can I ask why?" He asked.

"You heard me before. I may have some secrets. All this time, I'm not willing to open up to others on a personal level. I'm not ready to be in a relationship with anyone right now."

"I see." He said as he looked down.

"Can I be honest?" Ebina asked him in which made him raised his head to face her. "When I stood at the grove entrance, I thought that after I reject you, we won't be talking to each other the same way, or rather not talk at all."

"Eh?"

"I mean, it would be awkward and impossible to act normally after having a tragedy like this."

_"Tragedy?"_ Ooka wondered with an uneasy expression

_"Isn't she exaggerating a little?"_ Yamato thought with the same feeling.

"But as you said, you do have a habit of shouting and always get your own spotlight, which means I can't ignore you at all no matter how hard I try. So let's still be friends, okay?" Ebina approached Tobe and put a finger on his chest. She then winked at him while wearing a huge grin on her face and went back to where she came. After she was out of sight, everyone present in the grove remained silent as they process the outcome of this confession event. Ooka and Yamato are the first to stand up and approach Tobe in an attempt to encourage him.

"It's alright, Tobe." Ooka spoke first.

"Yeah, there is always next time and probably a better girl out there," Yamato said with his hand on the orange-haired boy's shoulder.

"No," Tobe denied his friend's words. "There is no other girl better than Ebina-san."

"Eh?" Both of them gasped while the rest of the students hiding stood up and approached him. Tobe turned around and all are surprised by his joyful expression as there isn't a hint of disappointment nor sadness. They all wondered why until he answered for them.

"You heard what she said! She and I will 'STILL' be friends. She didn't say that we're gonna stay one so I still got a chance!" He fist-bumped the air and his eyes are now filled with determination. "Plus, it's like she and I got closer, y'know? Like uh... there was a connection between us at that moment so I ain't giving up yet!"

"Pfft! Hahaha!" Ooka laughed in joy to his determination. "Yeah, that's right! But there is one thing that you're wrong."

"What's that?" Tobe asked.

"You are..." Ooka lightly punched his chest and grinned. "more than just a loudmouth dumbass, y'know?"

"That's right, Tobe." Yamato tapped his shoulder. "You're literally the hype man of our class so without you, the vibe will be dull as hell. You could say everyone's happy cuz of you."

"E-eh? No way!" Tobe waved his hand in denial. "You're the guy who puts people at ease, Yamato, so you're much better at like, giving the right vibes, you get me?"

"Nah, Yamato's right. You're the only one who can get the class more lively." Hayama supported his friend's statement. He expected Ooka and Yamato to support the orange-haired friend after being rejected but he didn't see this kind of support. Instead of the usual carefree response, Ooka and Yamato understood the determination Tobe displayed and so, they give him the encouragement to match his commitment. Hayama is content with that and then looked back at the two girls in which Yukinoshita pretended to be calm however he could tell the frustration she is hiding while Yuigahama felt glad that the outcome of the confession isn't as terrible as they anticipated, .

"I'm glad that Tobecchi is still all breezy after that, right Yukinon?" She asked Yukinoshita, not noticing her friend's emotion. The black-haired girl pulled a smile before leaving.

"Yes it is," She said while walking away. "It's getting late, let's head back to the inn."

"Ah, wait for me!" Yuigahama followed her.

_"You realized it, don't you?"_ Hayama began his inner monologue while following Tobe and the others back to the inn. _"Hikigaya clearly outmatched you in almost every way. I still couldn't figure out why you're acting this way, Yukinoshita, but you're losing in a one-sided competition. What's worse is that you won't be by his side to see what he can do around him. This may sound terrible but it is a good thing Hikigaya got out of the Service Club. He did found a sort of sanctuary there but it felt like he's being shackled by that idea and so do you. Now that Hikigaya-kun's free and found a light in the tunnel so quickly, he has more options for his future."_

_"You girls cherished the club just as much as Hikigaya-kun was, but that sanctuary won't last long either before or by the time of graduation. I bet breaking those shackles will be much more painful for you than how Hikigaya broke his. However..."_

Hayama looked up at the night sky as he contemplated.

_"His journey after being free is..."_

* * *

_"_Small-time drug dealers?" Hikigaya asked the tall man in front of him in the alley.

"Yes," The tall man answered. "After I got released from prison, I took it upon myself to beat up a drug dealer Asemu's been seeing."

"Asemu?"

"Oh, he's the blonde guy, remember? He tried to rob a convenience store and you stopped him and his partner."

"Oh, that guy. Uh... how is he?"

"Still in prison but he's behaving the last time I saw him. Not a hint of that insanity. So anyway, after giving the drug dealer a beating, I stole his money, valuables and even force him to open his phone so I could use it or maybe sell it to someone."

"O... kay?" Hikigaya looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"What? Bastard deserved it," The tall man took out a black cellphone. "I took his phone and looked at everything: from his photos to the social DMs and contacts, and I stumbled upon his text messages with someone."

**-Text conversation Last Updated, 1 week ago-**

[8:00 PM] Shoyo: Why the hell should I go to Kyoto? Can't they just deliver it here?

[8:00 PM] Sugimoto: No. Apparently, they don't have any means of transportation for safe deliveries, at least not yet. They doin the ol' meet and greet, giving you the products directly.

[8:01 PM] Shoyo: Sounds like a pain in the ass. So are there others?

[8:01 PM] Sugimoto: Yeah, I don't know how many though but I heard it was just a few of them.

[8:01 PM] Shoyo: But why Kyoto?

[8:01 PM] Sugimoto: I don't fucking know, as long as we get the cash that's all that matters, right?

**-You've reached the bottom-**

"So this is some big drug meetup or something?" Hikigaya asked while folding his arms.

"It's possible. that is why I came here," The tall man answered. "Before the meetup, Shoyo and this Sugimoto will meet each other over there at that abandoned school to prepare for something. Shoyo even has the address for a place to stay."

"Why don't you let the police handle this."

"I don't trust them. When I turned myself in and got interrogated, I gave them an accurate description of you: Male, black hair, and wearing a Sobu High School uniform. I only saw your back as you ran away so I didn't see your face."

"So how did you figure out that I was-" Before Hikigaya could finish his question, the tall man pointed something on top of his head. The hero touched his head only to figure out what it was and sighed. He wore a deadpan expression from the answer. "That's just stupid. It would sound reasonable that my voice gave it away"

"What's stupid is that strand of hair and that gave it away the most." He said indifferently as if he's stating the truth and that made a vein popped on Hikigaya's forehead. "Back to the subject, I said anything I could remember about you and the others did give the same description as mine. Yet, the news didn't mention your identity at all, and the police didn't call you for a police lineup nor get called as a witness in the trial. Last but not least. they let me go and that troubles me even more. I'm not that stupid to think it was because they were kind or something."

"Yeah... Literally no officers nor detectives came to interrogate me after that case except one but that officer didn't mention anything of the previous cases I got involved in." Hikigaya said as he understood the tall man's reasoning, especially since he has discovered the existence of the mystery person targeting him. "So you want my help to take care of these drug dealers?"

"It's okay if you don't want to. I can take care of it myself but it would make things easier to have a helping hand."

"One question: Why should I believe everything you said?" Hikigaya asked with a scrutinizing gaze. It is obvious to the man that the hero couldn't just trust the words of a former criminal. The text messages aren't enough to prove his claim nor showing the money he stole. His only option is to let the hero decide whether to accept his help or leave but the tall man hopes that "Isato" won't report this to the police.

"I don't have anything strong enough to prove my claim," The tall man spoke. "it's up to you if you believe everything I said is true or not."

"I see," Hikigaya held his chin to think about all this. _"I could refuse but I get the feeling there is something going on here. From the policewoman's warning to this tall guy's sudden appearance, it seemed so far from just a coincidence. What if that mystery person WANTS me to get involved in this? The only fact to prove that claim is him/her removing evidence of my true identity. Add that with Muira's mother saying that guy's working in the police department and I could safely assume that this mystery person is not some corrupt officer. With all that information and speculations..."_

"... Fine, I'll help you with this." The hero finally agreed and the tall man couldn't help but widen his eyes in shock from that decision.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, what's your name?"

"Takai, Chujitsuna Takai."

"Alright, let's go to a thrift shop here before meeting that drug dealer," Hikigaya turned around to go back to where he entered the alley. "I don't want them to see me in this uniform and then hunt me down at my school afterward."

"Not gonna tell me your name, huh?" Chujitsuna sighed.

"Just call me Isato for now. It's not my fault for revealing your name so casually."

"And it's not my fault for recognizing you just from that ridiculous strand of hair."

"Shut up." Hikigaya continued to walk without looking at Chujitsuna and the tall man sighed once more before following him out of the alley. There are still people walking in the sidewalks and vehicles moving on the road at night. The two are walking silently with Hikigaya taking the lead and Chujitsuna following behind him in his proximity.

"Hey, how is uh... that girl?" Chujitsuna asked him and the hero froze from the question. Hikigaya turned around to glare at him before sighing.

"She's fine," He answered and continued walking. "That's all I'm gonna tell you."

"I'm fine with that." They finally reached the thrift shop and Hikigaya already picked up the attire for his disguise. It's simple yet it works well enough to hide his appearance. "I'll pay for that."

"With that stolen money?" Hikigaya asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, that's what I also used to get here and bought some helpful equipment."

"Equipment...?"

"A stun gun, taser, rope, bulletproof vests, binoculars, and first aid kit. All in this backpack" Chujitsuna used his thumb to point at the mentioned backpack.

"Where did you get all that?"

"Amazon."

_"Ah, the wonders of online shopping. Fuck that! They need to add more rules regarding what they sell online!"_ Hikigaya thought with a deadpan expression and purchased the attire he chose: A white plain T-shirt, black jacket, and a white face mask. A very simple disguise but he is content with it. True to his word, Chujitsuna paid the purchase and wait for the hero to wear his disguise while putting his Sobu High uniform in the backpack.

"Alright," Hikigaya pulled the curtains to reveal him wearing the disguise. "What's the plan?"

"We use the binoculars to find Sugimoto before going inside or getting too close to the abandoned school." Chujitsuna suggested while walking out of the store.

"So you're also wondering why they would pick a place like that as the meeting place," Hikigaya said as he walks with him side-by-side.

"Yes, I wanted to concluded that their reason is to find a private place to discuss criminal matters but I'm more open to other possibilities."

"It's either they're hiding something in that abandoned school or..."

"They have other companions joining them." The two vigilantes went back into the same alley and Chujitsuna took out the binoculars in his backpack.

"Can I have it?" Hikigaya said while reaching a hand out to him.

"Depends," The tall teenager gave him a questioning gaze. "How good are your eyes."

"Good enough," The hero took the binoculars and observed the abandoned school. His observation skill was always used to read a person's intent and between the lines but Hikigaya is very confident in using it for other means. From up and down, to left and right, he scanned the entire front of the school and he saw nothing unusual, at least from the outside. He couldn't see the inside because of the darkness no matter how much he zoomed the binoculars. "Hey Chujitsuna, do their chat said anything about which room or specific spot they'll meet?"

"No," He answered as he skimmed through the text messages. "Sugimoto only texted that their location is in this school."

"In that case, you text him to meet at the entrance. Make it as less suspicious as possible," Hikigaya suggested. "I don't see anything unusual, at least from this angle, but we can safely assume that he's alone."

"Got it." Chujitsuna complied with his request and sent the drug dealer a text message. He made sure it fits someone like Shoyo's personality to avoid suspicion. The tall former criminal waited for a reply while Hikigaya observed the school entrance with his binoculars. After a few seconds, the drug dealer replied.

"He took the bait." Chujitsuna said while looking at the entrance and see a man coming out of the shoe locker room. He has black hair, brown eyes, and wearing a denim jacket over a white T-shirt, a brown scarf wrapped around his neck, and black pants.

"Is that him?"

"Yeah, that's him." He confirmed as Hikigaya looked at the school once again with the binoculars. It was for a moment but the hero sworn he saw a human figure in one of the second-floor windows and then vanished. He checked the other windows and back to the entrance and he saw a shadowy figure hiding behind the shoe lockers.

"Looks like he's not alone and he's cautious."

"How many?"

"Not sure. I only saw two of them." The hero contemplated what the next move should be. "Chujitsuna, give me the phone."

"What?"

"Give me that phone. Also, do you have your own cellphone?"

"Yeah,"

* * *

The man known as Sugimoto came out of the abandoned school while holding his phone. He felt irritated by the text message sent by his friend.

"Tch, Dumbass never change_."_ He mumbled as he waits for his friend out in the front entrance. As long as the plan went smoothly, everything is fine for him. He knew that Shoyo is short-tempered but very cautious at doing his drug dealings and other plans. He is even cautious to his own comrades which is understandable as the criminal underworld is full of backstabbers, tricksters, and hunger for wealth and desires. Sugimoto heard footsteps and saw a hooded man waving a phone he recognized as if it's a form of greeting with his other hand inside the pocket of his jacket. Sugimoto noticed the white face mask and that made him raised an eyebrow.

"As cautious as ever." He sighed and approached the hooded man he thought it was Shoyo. He suddenly felt something off about him but he couldn't figure out because he was too late. They're now face-to-face and "Shoyo" grabbed Sugimoto's head to close the distance further while he pierced his stomach with a small object.

"Scream and I'll gouge your eye out and make sure you'll never move again." The man whispered as he glared at the drug dealer. Sugimoto felt terrified by his glare and his left eye is covered by a thumb.

"W-who the hell are you?" Sugimoto asked.

"Someone who'll gouge your eye out if you don't answer my questions honestly," The mysterious hooded man said in a menacing tone while intensifying his glare. The drug dealer could only nod and his body froze, unable to even lift a finger from fear. "First, how many are you here?"

"I-I only brought five people."

"Are there others?"

"N-no..."

"Do you or any of your pals have weapons?"

"I'm the o-only one with a g-gun."

"Alright then, call them out here and we'll talk some business" Hikigaya convinced him to call the companions out and saw five of them at the shoe locker room just as the drug dealer said. None of them appeared too difficult to handle as he concluded they are all average in build and possibly physical prowess. There is even one who looked nervous and possibly a high school student like him. They all didn't suspect anything strange since he pulled Sugimoto close to him at an angle where they wouldn't see the stun gun nor the drug dealer's terrified expression. As soon as everyone went outside and approached them, Chujitsuna came out of the alley and quickly walked towards the entrance. One of them felt suspicious of this situation and the moment he realized something wrong, Hikigaya acted before it's too late. The hero kneed Sugimoto between the legs and then shot the stun gun to the person on the left, the one who realized the danger.

"W-what the." The others are surprised and so were distracted for a second which is what Chujitsuna needed to take them all down. The tall hooded man grabbed two heads and slammed them to the ground, instantly knocking them unconscious. There is one person who tried to go back inside the abandoned school to hide but Hikigaya was faster as he tackled him from behind and punched him at the back of his head and slammed it to the ground. Sugimoto tried to stand up and resist the pain in his groin but it was too late as Chujitsuna grabbed the back of his neck and lifted him up. The drug dealer's last remaining companion stood speechless at this event and couldn't do anything.

"Oi," Hikigaya called out to the terrified individual. He has black crew-cut hair and is only wearing a white hooded sweater and brown pants.

"Y-yes?!"

"Are you a high school student?" The hero asked him and he hesitated to answer. The boy tried to be silent and pretend to be traumatized but the hooded man's glare destroyed all thoughts.

"Y-yes..."

"Why are you taking part in all this?"

"I... I'm just here because my friends are..." He said as he looked at the two unconscious.

"So peer pressure?" Hikigaya guessed and the boy fidgeted. "First time doing this?"

"Y-yes."

"Have you done any crime before this?"

"No..."

"Then a piece of advice, don't ever join this stupid gig ever again. Got it?"

"Yes..."

* * *

"So how did it go?" The blonde Fire Queen asked the glasses-wearing fujoshi in the hallway near a vending machine. What Ebina didn't expect to be joining Miura is Sagami who is busy texting on her phone until the blonde girl asked the question. The brown-haired girl noticed Ebina's expression and responded with a smile.

"I asked Miura about it and got curious so I waited," Sagami spoke. "So how did it go?"

"It didn't go as bad as I thought thanks to you." Ebina answered with a bright smile.

"It's nothing really," Sagami scratched her head in embarrassment. "So tell me the details!"

"No way!" Ebina said while laughing. "it's way too embarrassing!"

"But you're telling the truth right?" Miura asked with a worried expression.

"Yeah, don't be so worried, Yumiko!" The glasses-wearing fujoshi reassured her friend. "And there you have it, Sagamin. You can go back to your boyfriend now!"

"C-can you not? I might bother Hachiman if I..." Sagami twiddled her fingers in embarrassment.

"Oh! So you're finally on first-name-basis!" Ebina teased while the Fire Queen sighed at their antics. The brown-haired girl couldn't say anything as she became a stuttering mess while Ebina continued to tease her relationship with Hikigaya.

"Alright, that's enough Ebina," Miura grabbed her friend's arm. "Besides, the teachers announced that Hikigaya went home ahead of us."

"Eh? Why?" Ebina asked in a confused expression.

"They said he's not feeling well or something." Sagami answered.

"Probably because you tired him out during your date." Miura mocked her while looking away. Sagami felt embarrassed at that. She believed that their date went well although she did felt she was acting to wild for him to keep up. "Come on, let's get back to our room since it's getting late."

"Okay! See ya tomorrow, Sagamin!" Ebina went in the opposite direction since they sleep in different rooms.

"See ya!" Sagami and Miura walk side-by-side to their room. The Fire Queen looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze as she wondered what the brown-haired girl knew about Hikigaya that made her fall in love with someone like him. Although, it was sort of obvious for Miura of what the reason could be. However, she couldn't help but think there is more than that.

"Hey, Sagamin."

"Hm?"

"What do you like about that guy?"

"Who, Hachiman?" Sagami held her chin in thought. "Where do I start, hmmm~. Well, he is smart and kind, and a bit sarcastic which annoys the hell outta me but to me, that's one of his charms."

"Uhuh." Miura nodded as she listened to Sagami's stories of her time with the former loner. The blonde girl was surprised by how different Hikigaya is according to the brown-haired girl's description. Although, it seems that Sagami is on her own world as she kept talking about mundane things she did with him and even the least important details that Miura didn't ask for. One thing that shocked her though, is that Sagami went to his house once.

"Eh? You went to his house?!"

"Well yeah. What's the problem with that?" Sagami asked with a genuine confused expression. The brown-haired girl was too absorbed in her moments with her crush that she forgot that they're not really dating.

"N-no..." Miura coughed to regain composure. She heard from Yuigahama that the bubbly airhead also went to his home once "Well, there is one thing I wanna ask you."

"Ask away!"

"What's up with his scars?"

"Hm?" Both stopped walking and just stared at each other with Sagami looked shocked and afraid while Miura is indifferent and curious at the same time. "I don't know."

"You don't know? Really?"

"Well some of them on his hands were just cooking accidents. The rest, I don't know. Probably his cat scratching his face or something?"

"What if he is a delinquent just like the rumors said?"

"I doubt he is."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. You know what they say, never judge a book by it's cover."

"Hmmm...?" Miura remained suspicious of that while Sagami tries her best to hide her fear.

"W-what made you curious all of a sudden?" Sagami stuttered. "Don't tell me you got the hots for him?!"

"H-HAH?! DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!" Miura suddenly shouted with a blush on her face which surprised Sagami as this is not the reaction she was expecting. "AS IF I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT CREEP!"

"Then why are you stuttering." The brown-haired girl asked with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Why were YOU stuttering."

"I don't know what you're talking about~." Sagami made her voice sound in a teasing tone but her face is expressionless as if finding out she has a love rival killed her soul and something was born within the brown-haired girl. The Fire Queen is terrified that not even her fiery gaze could match up against the maiden's wrath and so Miura changed the subject to save herself.

"W-Whatever! Anyway, I don't have the hots for that guy. That's gross! I'm just worried about you that's all."

"Eh?" Sagami's terrifying expression instantly disappeared.

"I mean, yeah you were kinda annoying and all but, after asking me to help with the announcing in the athletic festival, how serious you were working at that time and seeing you having fun with him and the others, you're a nice girl, y'know? and uh... I can't help but worry about you..."

"... Hey, Miura."

"Yeah?"

"Can we be friends?" Sagami asked with a warm smile. Miura was silent, contemplating on her request

"...Sure..." The Fire Queen accepted while twirling her blonde hair in embarrassment and Sagami is grinning in joy. However, Miura is still thinking about Hikigaya's hidden circumstances and how it would affect everyone around him. One question in her mind is how did he recognize the tall criminal, surely he discovered it in online news articles but she wants to think otherwise. After thinking about almost every possibility, she suddenly remembered an article of "Isato"'s first appearance, where the failed rape attempt took place.

_"Don't know if I remembered right but, it said that there was a bike that was messed up in the crime scene. And then the next day, Hikio wore bandages on his hand and I swear he was walking to school rather than riding with his bike."_ Miura stopped her thought process as they reached the room. _"Nah, there's no way that he's... or maybe..."_

* * *

"Eh? Hikitani-kun already went home?" Tobe asked his roommates while taking off his uniform.

"Yeah, the teacher said he wasn't feeling well and called an ambulance. And then his parents called and asked them to take him back home." The roommate explained while playing cards with the others. "I don't know what happened but that's what he told us."

"Damn, you don't think his date tired him to death?" Ooka teased with a grin.

"Oi, Ooka. This could be serious." Hayama lightly scolded him.

"Sorry, sorry." He apologized while scratching his head.

"So where did you guys go at this time?" Another roommate asked while putting down one card in the floor.

"It's a secret," Hayama answered.

"Yeah!" Tobe shouted while wearing a white T-shirt and the Sobu High jogging pants. "This is a secret between men!"

"Hah? You sayin' we aren't men?"

"Ya got that right! So go back to playing cards, you brats! HAHAHA!" Tobe mocked them and laughed which led to a silly pillow fight between him and all of the roommates. Tobe grabbed a pillow and threw it at the guy farthest behind the group. One roommate grabbed a pillow and threw at Tobe aiming at his face but he caught it and threw it back. Tobe got hit in the head by two roommates with pillows but he stood his ground and hit back hard. "Bring it on kids! Wahahaha!"

_"He's pissing me off!"_ Suddenly all the roommates had the same thought including Yamato and Ooka as they joined the pillow fight. Meanwhile, Hayama approached Totsuka who is currently playing a different card game with Zaimokusa.

"Hey, Totsuka. Did Hikitani-kun really looked sick?" Hayama asked.

"I don't know. He looked tired after his date but I don't know after you two went out together." Totsuka answered.

"What? He didn't come back?"

"I thought he was with you and the others for Tobe's confession so I was about to ask where he is, but if he's not with you guys..."

"Hmmmm..." Zaimokusa held his chin while pressing his finger on the bridge of his glasses. "It could be that a mysterious force has intervened on his journey of peace and attempts to lead him back to the path of war."

"Uhm... What does that mean, Zaimokusa-kun?" Totsuka asked, confused at his usual behavior.

"What I am conveying is that as the god of war Hachiman, The divine beings disliked his peaceful nature grow so they are plotting to lead him back to where he is supposed to walk! The path of destruction!"

"Z-Zaimokusa-kun! S-Stop saying things like that! And isn't the war god Hachiman a good guy?"

"Lies and deceit that were written by tricksters of the demon realm. In truth-" While the two of them are arguing over the legend of the Japanese war god, Hayama contemplated on Hikigaya's circumstances as he felt that there is something off.

_"Hikigaya-kun didn't look sick the last time we talked... Strange."_

* * *

Somewhere in Kyoto, there is an abandoned cafe still standing on the empty street. The business was successful on an average level as many people used to visit here to relax and drink coffee. However, the owner left the establishment due to family reasons and so the cafe hasn't been open for a year until it was regarded as an abandoned business. What was once a small, normal, and comfortable restaurant is now an empty building filled with dust and old walls. The windows are covered by wooden planks nailed from the inside and the entrance door has small cracks. No one would come to this place unless it is a sketchy scheme.

"GAAAHHHH!"

And there is one right now, only to be thwarted by interlopers. There are ten guys inside the cafe, half of them are unconscious on the floor with some were as if they were thrown into a table. In the middle of the room was a table with a pile of plastic bags filled with mysterious white powder and two people stood next to it while the five remaining guys stared at them in anger and fear. The first man is very tall and wearing a black hoodie which covered his head over, a pair of jeans, and a black face mask while his partner has an average height, also wearing a black hoodie that covered his head over, and a white face mask.

"What the hell is this?! Did they sold us out?!" One of the five men asked.

"Fuck that! Let's beat their asses and get ou-!" The other suggested but he was immediately punched in the face by the intruder wearing the white facemask. The intruder finished with a punch on the gut and a right uppercut on the chin. Before the others could react, the tall man already grabbed two of their heads and slammed into each other and then to the ground. The last two prostrated themselves to surrender, hoping the intruders will leave without hurting them.

"W-we're sorry!"

"We'll turn ourselves in!"

"Is that so?" The tall man spoke with a deep voice. "You morons shouldn't have done this in the first place."

"So don't take this personally, guys." The other said while cracking his fists. "You all brought this on yourselves. But first, we want you to answer some questions."

"KYAAAAAHHHH!" The two remaining men shrieked like women and might've been traumatized by this event before getting knocked out. After that, the two men wearing face masks pulled out a rope in their bags and tied all of them up to prevent them from escaping when awake. They left the cafe and the tall man did a phone call,

"Hello, police?" He said on the phone with his voice deeper than what he normally sounds like. Meanwhile, his partner pulled down his face mask to let out a sigh of exhaustion as his face is full of sweat. Under the black hood is the signature dead-fish eyes of a certain hero with his weary expression fully evident.

"Just why is this happening?" Hikigaya sighed once more at his own decision to agree with dealing this situation.

"You're the one who wanted to do this." Chujitsuna retorted.

"I never thought it would take this much."

"You underestimated the criminal world."

"And you're underestimating the security of Kyoto."

"True. Although anyone with a brain can figure out on how to find these drug dealers."

"In which a high percentage do not possess."

"Talk about arrogant." Chujitsuna rolled his eyes at the hero's sarcasm. "So where next?"

"Over here," Hikigaya pointed at a map on his phone. "We have to take the train to get there faster."

"I still have a lot more of that bastard's money so I'll pay."

"...How much did you stole anyway?"

"Hm? About 400,000 yen." The tall partner said it nonchalantly and Hikigaya froze from the amount. Of course, anyone would be surprised by that much money stolen from a drug dealer. It almost made Hikigaya think about doing drug business. Almost. Chujitsuna smirked and repeated his previous statement. "You underestimated the criminal world."

"... Indeed I did. Let's go." They continued forward to the next destination. An hour ago, they extracted information from Sugimoto about his plan on the illegal drug business here in Kyoto and what they discovered is that all drug dealers in Kyoto are gathered for a big drug distribution of a certain product and he and his partner, Shoyo, heard this from a friend here. According to Sugimoto, they already grabbed hold of the drugs and were suppose to be in the process of selling them until Hikigaya and Chujitsuna stopped them. Sugimoto carried a list of the small-time drug dealers in case there is competition in the business.

_..._

_"You just got here and you already went around going about rivalries in drug dealing?" Hikigaya asked Sugimoto who is lifted from the back of his head by Chujitsuna._

_"W-Well, that's how business normally goes, right?" The drug dealer stuttered as he nervously laughed. The two vigilantes could only glare at him which silenced Sugimoto from laughing. _

_"Is there another reason why you picked this school as just a gathering place?"_

_"No," Sugimoto answered without hesitation nor a single stutter. However, Hikigaya didn't fully believe in his answer and so he closed the distance of their faces as the hero only give him a stare. Hikigaya is not entirely confident of his psychological attacks but he knew more than anyone that his dead-fish eyes and logical criticism towards someone's behavior could serve as his most powerful psychological weapon. However, the terrifying hero noticed his glare could be enough to make the drug dealer falter as Sugimoto's entire figure shook yet still unable to confess the truth. A few intimidating words will be enough to break through his mental defenses._

_"Hey," Hikigaya called out to Sugimoto in which he responded with only silence. Hikigaya swung a tazer at the drug dealer's face for more intimidation. "If there is one thing I want to do with a mouth full of lies, it's to try every means to make that mouth more truthful. Right now, I'm feeling of frying someone's tongue till all the lies are burnt."_

_"O-Okay! I'll talk!" Sugimoto surrendered. "I secretly bought and hid a lot of firearms here in this shitstain in case things got out of control."_

_"What do you mean?" Chujitsuna asked._

_"Exactly what I mean. We didn't do anything stupid, at least not yet. Unlike being braindead in the surface, making a living in the underground has more dangerous shit going so we need to be more cautious. It's either stab someone or get stabbed instead. It's like businesses in a restaurant; if you set an establishment near another restaurant that has basically the same shit as yours have, then it's a competition to rule the territory."_

_"Where did you hid them. Also, give me that list."_

_..._

"It's got the names but not the exact location," The tall vigilante stared at the list Hikigaya held in his phone. They're now riding the train to the next target. "I'm surprised we find all of them in such a short time. It's either because you're smart or it's just luck."

"What's under the category of luck is the short amount of time we found their secret hiding spots. Guessing all of them is on me." Hikigaya retorted with a smirk and Chujitsuna rolled his eyes in annoyance but he admitted that everything was going well because of the hero's strategy. "There is only the address where they live but not the hiding spots. Sneaking into their homes is a bad idea since there is a high chance they're not there considering nighttime is the perfect place for a drug business."

"Uhuh, what I still don't get is why we searching for alleys and abandoned buildings?"

"It's because those places are the safest possible hiding spots criminals would choose. Do you know the reason why we have such low crime rates?"

"Strong security?"

"That's one of them but the other reason is the social behaviors of our Japanese people. We are all raised and taught to think about others before ourselves and care about what others think of you before we do something stupid. We're disciplined that way to such a high degree that our country is known for the homogenization, little immigration, and modest income inequality. Our cautiousness is what criminals feared so much that I think secretly doing illegal activities in broad daylight and in public establishments such as a hotel or shop are the riskiest moves for them."

"You think?"

"Also, there is a consideration that all of these drug dealers are small. They're not some big organizations, just a small group of idiots, and the names on this list all comprise of one person per group which could mean they're the leaders. If we could retrace their steps from their home to some shady alleys and abandoned buildings, we can find them."

"It's more of a guessing game, huh?"

"Well, we are asking bystanders if they ever see one of these scumbags based on location."

"Still using deduction. Plus it's just the two of us so we're literally lucky to find their hiding spots despite covering so little ground even if we split up."

"Yeah," Hikigaya sighed of exhaustion from their way of searching. They can't call the police for help and it's not like searching in Google will find the drug dealers._ "It went from a school trip to a hunting trip. Is this how they hunt for food in historic times?"_

"You know," Chujitsuna interrupted the hero's thoughts. "You could've just left and let me do this job on my own."

"Honestly... I don't know anymore..." That was all Hikigaya could answer before letting silence take over the empty train. All these dangers he kept jumping into, this vigilantism, these heroic yet reckless actions became a part of his core now and it's not out of homogenization or the discipline that he was taught by this country's culture. It's more out of natural instinct to become "Isato", and it's slowly developing more like another soul took over his body and pretended to be the normal Hikigaya. The moment a case ends, he will realise too late what the consequences await him when doing these actions. Scoldings, making others worry, and physical exhaustion and injuries, all such negative consequences will be forgotten the second the hero intervenes on another dangerous crime.

_"Next station-"_

"We're here." Chujitsuna straightened his back with a sigh while Hikigaya looked at his own hands filled with scars, still contemplating his actions but shook his head to focus on the objective. The train stopped and the doors slid open. They exit the train and begin their next hunt.

"Alright, what's good about this next target is that we know where he is," Hikigaya said while running with Chujitsuna. "From what those two said, this guy runs his drug trafficking in alleys, should be easy."

"Now that's luck." Chujitsuna snorted.

"Let's split up." Hikigaya suggested and he agreed. There are still people walking around the sidewalks at night. The hero didn't waste time to check every alleyway. Some emanate a horrible smell of garbage littering around and there are some that are empty in darkness. Hikigaya went into one alley where he accidentally encountered a couple making out to which he apologized for interrupting their moment. After a few minutes of searching, he found the target: spiky brown hair and wore glasses. He's wearing a white hood and a pair of jeans. The target is currently selling drugs to a woman wearing a black tuxedo, grey miniskirt, and pantyhose. Hikigaya texted Chujitsuna that he found the target and sent his location.

_"He only has one guy with him so I guess I can handle him,"_ The hero concluded in his thoughts and then start running towards the target. The drug dealer's companion noticed him and readied his stance. Hikigaya blocked an incoming left punch and then swung a low kick on the companion's right leg, momentarily loosening the enemy's stand. He punched his left side and use a palm strike to the nose. The companion fell on his back and both the spiky brown-haired criminal and the woman watched in shock. They couldn't see the hero's face as it was covered by a hood and white facemask. However, they saw the dead-fish eyes and thought that a monster appeared.

"AAAAAHHH!"

They ran out of the alley going in separate directions. Of course, Hikigaya is running after the drug dealer. Both bumped into some bystanders but they're relentless to run faster. Hikigaya is a little faster than him so he's catching up. They both ran into another alley but unfortunately for the criminal, there is only a dead end. He leaned his back against the wall in fear of the hero. Hikigaya sent a text to his tall partner of his new location while approaching the criminal.

"W-what do you want?!" The drug dealer asked while his body nervously shaking.

"Giving what you deserve." Hikigaya cracked his knuckles.

"W-wait! I didn't hurt anyone s-so-"

"You didn't hurt? Yeah, you didn't. You RUINED everyone's lives when you sell to them that useless white powder."

"N-no... please..." The frightened drug dealer closed his eyes tightly. Hikigaya walked slowly for intimidation in order to break his mental defenses to make him answer questions. He noticed the criminal stopped shaking but eyes still tightly closed, possibly preparing for what is about to happen. As he was finally inches close to him, something unexpected happened.

"AAAAAHHHH!" The criminal screamed as he tried to punch Hikigaya, taking the hero by surprise and so his only response is to raise an arm to block. The criminal then quickly punched his stomach, grabbed his arm, and twist it while spinning behind him and then slammed his face into the wall. The criminal let go and ran away.

"I'M SOOORRRYYYY!" He shouted while running away. Hikigaya recovered quickly and went after the brown spiky-haired drug dealer.

Meanwhile, Chujitsuna ran to the new location as fast as he could and then saw the target running followed by Hikigaya. He went after them and Hikigaya noticed the tall vigilante behind him. The chase continued but not for long as they both noticed the criminal is slowing down, possibly running low in stamina. The vigilantes' ran faster and Hikigaya finally caught him by tackling him behind. Both fell but the hero quickly stood up and dragged the criminal into an alley ignoring the bystanders who saw the scene.

"Alright..." Hikigaya pinned him against the wall. "Let's talk."

"Please d-don't hurt me," The criminal shook. "I-I'm sorry for hurting you earlier b-b-but-"

"Shut it. You talk when you answer my questions."

"Y-yes." The drug dealer agreed while frantically nodding his head. Chujitsuna finally caught up to them and entered the alley as he watched the interrogation unfold.

"First, do you know about this guy?" Hikigaya showed a picture on his phone. It is the picture of the two vigilantes' next target.

"I-I think he's a drug dealer. And a leader of his own gang."

"Do you know where he is now?" The tall vigilante asked.

"W-Well he pretty much has his own territory among delinquents. Somewhere in the city." The spiky brown-haired drug dealer told them the location and the interrogation is finished.

"Good," Hikigaya let go of him.

"A-are you letting me go?" He stuttered in fear with a mix of relief.

"No,"

"Eh?"

"You still need to pay for doing these crimes."

"N-no wait. Please! AAAAAAAAHHHH!"

* * *

"That went well." Chujitsuna said while stretching his neck. The vigilantes are now on the train once again to find the next target.

"That guy caught me off guard," Hikigaya said while rubbing his cheek from being slammed against the wall earlier. "He has some combat experience."

"Does he?"

"Yeah, that's how he almost got away from me."

"He doesn't look the type though looks can be deceiving. The poor guy must've pissed so much in his pants, he couldn't fight."

"Probably because you were there blocking his only escape," Hikigaya leaned back with a sigh. "Hey... I forgot to ask."

"What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

"This. Going so far to come here to hunt down drug dealers on your own and not call the cops."

"I just..." Chujitsuna released a deep sigh before continuing. "...felt responsible for what happened to Asemu. He used to be hardworking in school and really nice to everyone, but things went downhill after some complicated mess with his parents. I just stood by his side and play along to whatever shit he was doing. I thought everything around him is ruined because of someone like Shoyo winning him over with that fucked powder and so I'll do everything I can to get rid of those bastards."

"You should've told him off to stop doing those terrible things."

"You think I didn't try that? I did, a lot of times. Convincing him by talking and then sometimes beat him to shit so he could calm down. After all that, he's getting worse. I don't know how to say the right words to get him to stop, using my fist won't make things any better, and I don't have the guts to get him in jail."

"Why did you still stuck up for him after all that?"

"He's my best friend... Plain and simple."

_"No, it's not,"_ Hikigaya retorted in his mind. _"If everyone's reason for supporting someone is only that someone is a friend, then society would've been every kid's happy dream. The definition of 'friend' was just forgotten. No, it's more like they forgot how to put the genuineness of that definition because of social influence like social status and norms that leads to forcing behavior for solidarity. In our stage of youth, it is a rarity to find such genuine friendship because teenagers are too immature to understand the feeling of such a bond and how worth it would be to achieve it. I'm just lucky to meet good friends. From your story, he didn't see you as a genuine friend but some loyal grunt. You're a little smart to notice that sooner, right? So what's your real reason? Are you in debt to him? Does he give you something in exchange for something you have? "_

_**"It doesn't have to take time or a million conversations for us to be one. Sometimes all it takes is just one serious or personal thing between us and if we get each other's deal, we're now friends. Got that?" **_

The hero suddenly remembered Sagami's words. As the train slowly stopped at the station, many people entered the train and the carriage is crowded. Hikigaya suddenly felt suspicious and so he pulled up the facemask to cover his mouth then analyzed their surrounding.

_"seven... no, fifteen? They all look normal people... well some look like delinquents but everyone is oddly quiet. I don't like this atmosphere."_

The tall companion nudged him to get his attention. Hikigaya turned to see his expression that indicated he also suspected the same thing. They stood up into the middle and carefully analyzed the situation. Hikigaya noticed most of them put one hand in their pockets. Judging by the muscle movement of the arms and facial expressions, he suspected they're holding weapons, possibly pocket knives. He felt his cellphone vibrated and pulled out to see what it was. It's a text message from Chujitsuna.

[10:00 PM] Chujitsuna Takai: 12 of them have knives. Other 3 probably guns. 2 on my side and one on yours.

Hikigaya looked to his side and noticed one person had his hand behind his back. He slowly leaned back to see at least a tiny detail of that person hiding a gun but to no avail. However, he still took his tall partner's observation into consideration as he texted him for their next move.

[10:00 PM] Isato: You take on your side while I take care of mine. Target the gunners first.

Chujitsuna read the message and responded with a nod. All they need to do is wait for the right moment and that is when one of these suspicious people make the first move or when they reached the station. Everyone is silent as the only sound they could hear is the wheels of the train rolling on the rails at high speed. Both vigilantes noticed few of these suspicious people are nervous, hands shaking, and emitting cold sweat. Either they were overwhelmed by the vigilantes' enigmatic aura, or it's their first time fighting or working as a criminal but it didn't matter to the two.

Chujitsuna stomped the floor to frighten them as an opportunity to attack. The few nervous wrecks jumped in fright and he grabbed one man near him by the neck and threw at the two possible gunners. Speculations were confirmed as one of them dropped a pistol when he fell and the two vigilantes' muscles tense further.

_"I really wished they didn't have guns."_ Hikigaya thought but stopped thinking when he noticed the nearest man attempt to stab him. The hero grabbed the wrist before the blade came close to his flesh and pulled the criminal towards him to knee his gut and shot the stun gun towards the last gunner and elbowed the back of the attacker's head.

"GAAAH!" The gunner screamed and he accidentally dropped his pistol as he fell unconscious. The others moved to attack the vigilantes. There are six enemies on Hikigaya's side and nine on Chujitsuna's including also the unconscious gunners. The hero evaded a knife swing from slicing his throat and stomped his foot.

"AW!" He screamed in pain and Hikigaya punched him in the gut, chest, and nose to finish him off. Hikigaya didn't stop as he dodged a knife thrust from another enemy and grabbed his arm, twist it, and did a knee strike to break the limb. The attacker screamed and another one successfully stab the hero on his left arm. Hikigaya gritted his teeth to resist the pain but he was punched by another attacker to his right cheek.

Meanwhile, Chujitsuna just backhanded an incoming attacker in the face and his head got bumped into the window, rendering him unconscious. Another tried to stab the tall vigilante but Chujitsuna grabbed his arm to lift him up and headbutted him. He then threw the unconscious body at the other two and did a straight punch on another one in the face. He blocked another knife thrust with his right forearm and did a thrust kick. The attacker was sent flying back into the gunner trying to stand up only to be knocked out once again.

Hikigaya is struggling but still fighting strongly against the last two criminals on his side. He noticed the coordination between them and how their movements are more refined than the other criminals he had faced. One of them grabbed two knives on the floor with two hands and charged towards the hero. Hikigaya tried his best to redirect the swings and dodging them but some landed by a scrape on his arms and upper body. After leaning his body to the side to dodge a knife thrust, he got stabbed once again in his left arm by the same attacker who did the other and then got kicked in the same stab wound, intensifying the pain and unable to move it. However, he held his ground while gritting his teeth harder as he crouched his head from a knife swing and punched straight at the criminal's gut with his right hand, followed by a knee strike to the face when the attacker bent his body backward. He was about to finish him off when he noticed the criminal companion jumped into the seat and swung a jump kick aimed at his face.

The hero crouched his head, successfully dodging the kick and Chujitsuna did shoulder charged at the criminal which sent him flying back to his criminal partner, knocking out both at the same time.

"Oi, you alright?!" The tall vigilante shouted in worry as he saw blood dripping on Hikigaya's left arm.

"Yeah, just need to wrap the wound." Hikigaya sat on the metal bench and held his left arm where the wounds are to slow down bleeding. Chujitsuna took out the first aid kit in his backpack. First he stopped the bleeding only for a short moment then cleaned the blood surrounding the wounds to avoid bacteria. Chujitsuna applied an ointment which made Hikigaya gritted his teeth as the ointment spread to the wounds. He finished by wrapping bandages to his upper left arm. It took ten minutes for the tall vigilante to give the full treatment.

"Five minutes until we reached the station," The hero mumbled and then looked at the criminals they've defeated. Some were unconscious while others are awake but couldn't stand up because of the pain. Hikigaya looked at Chujitsuna and nodded. The tall vigilante understood the message and grabbed one of the criminals by the neck.

"Oi, we got questions." Chujitsuna said in a menacing tone. "First, who are you guys?"

'Can't... tell." The criminal said as he struggled to breathe.

"Talk or this is the last time you'll breathe right." He threatened him as he chokes his neck harder.

"Hey," Hikigaya called out to his partner while looking at the list on his phone." That guy's the one we're looking for."

"Seriously?" Chujitsuna looked at the screen and the hero is right, this criminal is the one they were targeting next. They see this as a real miracle for the gang to come to them instead of searching for the hideout but they don't want to feel victorious and overconfident. "Why are you after us?"

"Someone told us... you two are ruining drug business here so he called everyone to take care of the... problem."

"Who told you?" Hikigaya stood up and approached them.

"From the Kohi gang..."

"From the abandoned cafe..." Chujitsuna mumbled and both vigilantes' expression are filled with dread. Did someone escape? Was there someone hiding during the fight? How did they know where they were going? These questions invaded their minds and they fully assessed that the situation took a turn for the worse. Hikigaya became terrified at the thought of killers going for his head. There are only seven people on the list which could possibly mean there are seven criminal groups. As of now, Hikigaya and Chujitsuna took down five of them including this one so two still remain. They thought that if any of those two groups are as big or even bigger than these attackers in terms of numbers, the two vigilantes' are as good as dead.

"I thought there was a competition between drug businesses," Hikigaya said in a shaky voice. "But we completely overlooked the term 'business'. Forming an alliance or 'partnership' is a common tactic in marketing."

"And that applies to drug trafficking. You don't have to tell me something so obvious." Chujitsuna sighed.

"And yet we got ahead of ourselves, thinking we can take on everyone and just charged right into their hideouts."

"We would still do that either way whether we go stealth or just face them head-on. Or are you afraid that you got a target on your back?"

"Of course I'm scared. What the hell would happen if they're going after my family to get through me?"

"You should worry about yourself, y'know?"

"Yeah, yeah... Anyway let's get out-"

.

.

Suddenly...

A gunshot was heard.

Hikigaya felt immense pain in his body as something launched at his torso. They look at the source to see one of the criminals awake and held a gun aiming at the hero. The two vigilantes' were too distracted in their interrogation, they didn't notice him. The criminal is still on the floor, perhaps still in pain from the fight but he didn't stop shooting.

Three shots.

He fired three shots at Hikigaya at the torso. The pain is unbearable. The hero's body pushed backward from those shots and was about to trip. As he leaned backward unprepared to fall on the floor, The criminal then shot the gun at his head.

"ISATO!" Chujitsuna shouted as he saw blood dripping on Hikigaya's forehead and watched him fall. The tall vigilante's rage grew immensely and ran towards the gunner before it's too late. He stomped the criminal's hand where he held the gun and the sounds of bones breaking echoed in the train as well as his scream.

"GAAAAH!" Chujitsuna scowled at the criminal, looking down at him with the most angered and horrifying expression he could muster to match his emotion of rage. The gunner's skin paled, fully regretting that he shot the gun. Before he could beg for mercy, Chujitsuna stomped his face, and blood splattered. He didn't hold his strength back from both of the stomps. Chujitsuna wondered if he killed the criminal in the process as his physical capabilities are that of a monster but he didn't care for the criminal's life.

"Isato!" He ran back to the hero and knelt down to check on him if he was truly dead. All of his worries faded when he noticed Hikigaya's head was only grazed by the bullet and felt a pulse in his neck. He's not worried about the other shots as Hikigaya wore a bulletproof vest to protect himself but the impact of those bullet would spread over his body and perhaps too much for the hero to handle. As for the graze, it looked deep. He could see Hikigaya's skull a little in flowing blood.

"Hang on, hang on, hang on." He called an ambulance while trying his best to treat the hero's injury with the first aid kit. It took only took a few seconds since the only thing he did was wiping the blood away and wrapped bandages around his head. He is very careful as the brain is very delicate and doesn't want to risk any sort of disorder and worse, death. The train stopped on the station and Chujitsuna carried Hikigaya like carrying over the threshold and then exit the train. However, he was too distracted by the hero's situation that he forgot the criminal they were interrogating. That would be his biggest mistake but he will think about that later as of right now, there is something more important. "You don't deserve to die now."

They finally exit the train station and by luck, the siren of the ambulance echoed through the streets as the sound grew louder as if it is getting closer. Bystanders screamed and gasped when they saw the tall man carrying someone who looked seriously injured. The ambulance parked in front of them, nurses and a doctor came out in the back of the vehicle with a stretcher. They wasted no time treating the patient and they, along with Chujitsuna ran back to the van.

"What is his status!"

"He's still breathing but unconscious and bleeding from the left arm and forehead! He might've lost too much blood!"

"They appear to be stab wounds on the arm while some sort of graze on the head!"

"His body has bruises all over!"

The medical professionals quickly analyzed Hikigaya's injuries while treating him. Chujitsuna could only watch as they put the oxygen mask in the hero's mouth and carefully but swiftly giving proper medication.

* * *

**Meanwhile in a certain inn**

_"This is strange,"_ Hayama contemplated while lying on the futon. After playing a few card games, everyone fell asleep but the golden prince is restless from his thoughts. _"The teacher said that Hikigaya went back to Chiba way earlier than us is because he was sick but back when we last talked, he looked completely fine unless he is good at acting like Haruno-san. No, that's a stupid guess."_

"Hayama-kun..." Suddenly Totsuka whispered to him. "Are you awake?"

"...Yeah..." He responded with the same whispering tone.

"Is Hachiman going to be alright?"

"He will. Probably. I'm not optimistic on his dating skills. Plus Sagami-san seemed to tire him out."

"Ahaha... You're right about that... Hayama-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you and Hachiman talked about when you both went outside?"

"I guess I was checking up on him since you know...With all the things that happened to him at that time."

"Isn't it because you want his help for Tobe's confession?" Totsuka sat up and asked that question which made Hayama widened his eyes in shock. He also sat up to look at the silver-haired tennis player face-to-face.

"...Let's go to the balcony." Hayama stood up and approached the balcony and Totsuka followed. They could feel the cold wind as they went out and stared at the Katsura River with its flowing water reflecting the moonlight. "How did you know?"

"It's kinda easy when you know what Hachiman went through," Totsuka said with a giggle. "Like the chain mails, the summer camp, the festivals."

"You know about the chain mails?"

"Yeah, since I saw you talking to Hachiman for the first time was also when the chain mails escalated. After understanding Hachiman's personality and then looking back to that now, I knew that you requested the Service Club to solve those chain mails. After realizing that, I sort of guessed that you cared a lot about your clique... to the point that you don't want anything to change."

_"He's sharper than I thought,"_ Hayama only stared at him, dumbfounded by his sharp intuition. "Yeah, you're right. I asked Hikigaya-kun to help me stop Tobe but he refused."

"It's probably for the best... Hachiman changed so much in a couple of weeks. It's almost scary... Is having a girlfriend have that much impact on someone, I wonder?"

_"You don't know the half of it."_ Hayama smiled. "I guess love does a lot to a person."

"We should thank Sagami-san for that," Totsuka giggled. "I don't think I can change him like she did."

"I think you can. After all, you're his best friend."

"No, I can't. After he got kicked out, Kawasaki-san and I tried everything but he didn't talk to us nor could even make eye contact. He just ignored us and focused on class like nothing happened. He was slowly turning back to the lonely student on the early first semester... until..."

_"Do you...wanna hang out with me after school?"_

"Sagami san just came out of nowhere and asked him out. And that's when things are going brighter for Hachiman and to us. Maybe there's something that Sagami-san has that we all don't to make him feel better. I don't know but regardless, I'm glad."

"Totsuka-san," Hayama looked up into the night sky filled with stars, contemplating on the silver-haired boy's words. _"So that's it... It wasn't luck that helped you, Hikigaya-kun. It's your will to accept even the smallest change. You were at your lowest point back then and so your desperation, your wish, to search for something to reach on grew stronger. If I was in your shoes, I would've done the same but much weaker than your will. It's your determination that you got this far not some dumb luck."_

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a loud siren coming from an ambulance. They both looked down to see the white vehicle moving fast with its siren lighting up red as an indication that there is an emergency.

"I wonder what happened," Totsuka asked while staring at the direction the ambulance went.

"... Who knows." Hayama answered while also staring at the direction.

* * *

Inside a certain peaceful and normal household, A father and a young daughter sat on the couch in the living room to watch a movie while the mother washed the dishes after eating a delicious dinner. The young daughter just finished taking a shower after a long day of school while her parents returned home early from work. They were glad to take a day off for the next few days as despite how wonderful their salaries were, spending time with family is a top priority as mother and father, and as husband and wife.

However, the mother didn't feel relax anymore as she accidentally dropped a plate while washing the dishes. Both father and daughter heard the sound of the fragile dish breaking.

"Are you alright, mom?" The daughter asked.

"I-I'm fine Komachi..." The mother reassured her and grabbed a small broom and dustpan to sweep the broken fragments.

"You must be tired from work, Nanako." The father and husband stood up from the couch. "Let me wash the dishes while you rest a bit."

"No, no. I'm alright."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, go watch the movie, dear. Looks like your favorite scene is coming."

"Oh yeah, you're right! When you're done, sit down with us and relax, okay?"

"Okay, okay." The wife answered with a giggle and the husband sat back down with their daughter as they watched their favorite scene on the television. Unbeknownst to them, She wore a worried expression as she stared at the fragments of the plate. _"What is this terrible feeling...? Hachiman?"_

* * *

Well... that happened. Looks like our 8man is in serious trouble. I wonder how this is gonna turn out? Things are definitely gonna change from the canon material to the challenges he will face in the future. Is he gonna die? Pfft, of course not... Maybe. Find out next time!

Thank you for reading this chapter. Please leave a review to share your opinions as they will help make this story better.


	8. Chapter 8: While The Hero Sleeps I

Hello everyone! Back with another chapter of this! How are you all doing, today? Is it hard over there because of the pandemic? The riots? Personal situations? Either way, I hope you're all safe and happy. It's finally summer and holy crap it's hot! We're lucky we got an air conditioner. It's sad that we couldn't go outside because of social distancing. I wish we can find something to do to have fun in this season...

Oh yeah, only a few days left until Oregairu season 3 is released! I'm excited to see more of 8man and his harem, lol.

And with that, on to the reviews!

_LD1021: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story, even if it's unusual._

_Afnaf-kun: I'm sorta taking this writing hobby more seriously now. Back then, I was just writing the first thing that comes out of my head and BAM! Story. Thanks to your and everyone's reviews, I can improve myself further. Thank you._

_ClassyUlysses: I still don't have the idea of what the ending should be. I'll keep this one in mind._

_Viate: F_

_jargax: Thank you so much for following this story for some time now. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far._

_Hachiman Fan: Lol, I just gave him some random then I realize it's one of MC in Gundam Age. The time of the teacher's announcement was before 8man fought in an abandoned cafe. Sorry for the confusion. Also, Asemu Flit and Kio_

_Scandalf: Of course, I know that crimes don't happen every day. That was just to establish his new character here in the story. Appreciate the criticism though._

_Stakoza45: -It's alright, there is bound to be some negative reviews, even the most toxic ones._

_ \- That's what I love about Re:zero and I'm excited for season 2._

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Oregairu series as it is respectfully owned by the author and studios.**

* * *

**While the Hero Sleeps Part 1: The Despair of the Past and Present**

_"Takai," The mother called out to her young son's name as the boy was only reading a comic in his bedroom until she called. He ran downstairs while carrying the comic book to see her mother alongside with another woman and a young boy with black hair. "This is Asemu, Asemu Hanji. He is your new friend."_

_"Friend?" The boy name Takai asked in wonder._

_"Yeah!" Hanji shouted while running towards him. "Let's get along, yeah!?"_

_"S-sure..."_

_And then the two boys played outside until the sunsets. As the orange light shined behind the children arguing, their mothers only watched in pure happiness at their sons' display of friendship even though they were fighting._

_"flying is better than breathing underwater!" Hanji shouted angrily._

_"What do you mean?! swimming underwater is even cooler than flying around with a bunch of birds!" Takai retorted._

_"It's even cooler than swimming with smelly fishes!"_

_"Hah?! You really don't get it do you!"_

_"Okay, that's enough you two." The mothers intervened, noticing the time. "It's getting late. Say goodbye to each other."_

_"Oh, okay..." Takai expressed a disappointed look until he looked back at his friend with determination. "See you later, Hanji! Ah! You can come to my room sometime so I can show you why underwater is better!"_

_"You're on!" Hanji shouted with the same determination. "I'm gonna show YOU why going up in the sky is way cooler!"_

_..._

_"UUUGGGGHH!" Hanji let out a long, noisy grunt. He is currently doing summer homework at Takai's house. Takai already finished his homework so he is playing video games. "Why is this so hard and boring?!"_

_"I understand math but Japanese history?" Takai teased with a huge grin._

_"Shut up! What's the point of learning some boring people's backstory when they're not superheroes!" Hanji threw a tantrum, swinging his arms around and frantically rolling on the floor. Takai understood his friend's frustration but he's not really worried for his studies. Despite his display of boredom and hatred for education, Hanji is a genius. He achieved above-average grades from all quizzes and tests in all subjects. Takai remembered one time when Hanji got perfect scores on a math quiz without studying although he did struggle to answer the questions. Despite his genius, Hanji has an arrogant personality though not to the point of being antagonistic towards others. He just couldn't take things seriously and sometimes skip classes._

_"I mean, they are important people." Takai retorted. "Think about it, we wouldn't get all these video games and mangas without them."_

_"Is there someone in our history textbook who made video games?"_

_"Well... uh, no..."_

_"THEN FORGET IT!" Hanji laid down with his back on the floor. "it's not like we're gonna use history for something."_

_"Stop complaining and finish your homework."_

_"Ugh! You sound like my mom..."_

_"And you sound like a baby."_

_"What did you say!? Then how about we play some video games to see who's a baby!"_

_"Okay."_

_"Alright! Give me a controlle-"_

_"AFTER you finish your homework."_

_"UUUUGGGHHHH!" Hanji's body deflated like a balloon and Takai laughed. Even though he's not as smart as his friend, Takai is serious at studying and that's why he finishes homework much faster than him._

_"Hehe! Oh, look! I unlocked a new character! I can't wait to try this out~!" Takai teased as he fiddled the controller focusing on the new character. He noticed that Hanji's deflated body started shaking and then inflated back to normal._

_"GGRRAAAAHHHH!" Hanji roared with fire in his eyes and wrote his notebook furiously. "I'M GONNA END THIS IN A SECOND SO DON'T YOU DARE PLAY WITHOUT MEEEE!"_

_"Yeah, yeah..."_

_..._

_**2 years later, Middle School**_

_"Hey, Takai. Is it just me or are you getting even taller?" Hanji asked while walking with his friend home from school._

_"Really?" Takai asked in wonder. "I think it's because I've been working out."_

_"Oh, you're right! You got some muscles! What the hell? Are you dreaming of being a bodybuilder?"_

_"No, you dumbass. I just like exercising, that's all."_

_"Maybe I should work out too~..."_

_"Just focus on your studies for once."_

_"I am. But every lecture is just easy to understand so I get bored easily." Hanji released a heavy sighed before slouching forward. He still maintained his arrogant and easygoing behavior which is very unfortunate for Takai since he always gave Hanji a copy of his homework whenever he either forgot or too lazy to do it. However, Hanji's grades are still superb as he became top 1 in the exams and scored high in quizzes. Takai is what many would call a hardworking genius. Almost every day in every class, he struggles to keep up with all the lectures. He struggles with subjects math, science, and Japanese history but he can achieve high grades in those subjects as long as he studies hard. He couldn't however, compete against Hanji in the exams as most of the time he gets to top 5 to 3. Their classmates can see clearly the difference between two geniuses, one was gifted with intelligence while the other gained intelligence through immense effort. They respected and admire both of them in the same degree regardless._

_"Well, at least you never have problems with grades." Takai said with a sigh._

_"So do you. Although, sometimes I was worried about you failing an exam every time you study."_

_"What makes you think that?"_

_"You always make that stupid face whenever you're focusing."_

_"What?! No, I don't!"_

_"Yeah, you do. I took a picture, wanna see?"_

_"Delete that right now or I'll kill you!"_

_"GAH! HEY, CAN YOU AT LEAST HOLD BACK YOUR PUNCHES!?"_

_"FUCK YOU AND DELETE THAT!"_

...

* * *

Takai woke up with his eyes wide open. He's currently sitting on a bench near the door to the operating room. It has been hours since Hikigaya was sent to the hospital and so far the doctor and nurses are still in there helping him as best as they can. That scene kept repeating on Takai's mind: The sounds of the pistol being triggered, the bullets hitting Hikigaya's body protected in a bulletproof vest, and most of all, the moment when the final bullet grazed his head. Takai clutched his head with both hands from guilt.

_"It's all my fault..."_ He blamed himself in his mind. _"What was I thinking? Dragging him into this. Did I think that it was the best option to have a helping hand? Was I scared of handling this all by myself?"_

The door opened to reveal a bald old man wearing a scrub, and light blue latex gloves. He is the doctor who was treating Hikigaya in that room. If he went out then that means the operation is finished.

"Are you a relative?" The doctor asked.

"I'm his friend. How is he?" Takai asked with a worried expression.

"Hm, follow me." The doctor urged him to follow to which Takai complied. While walking in the hallway, the doctor spoke. "can you explain what happened and how did he received such injuries?"

"We...got into a brutal fight with some thugs," He explained while trying his best to omit secretive information such as Hikigaya's secret identity and their conflict against gangs. "They were too many but we stood our ground until he got shot three times to his body and another one in the head."

"I see, well consider your friend lucky because we didn't see any bullets in his head."

"What?" Takai asked in shock until they reached a door to a certain room. This room is used to examine, handled, and process radiographic films such as x-rays, CT, and MRI scans. This is called the darkroom which is widely known in photography for organizing camera pictures. As the term suggests, it is dark and the only light emanating the room is the monitors with images of human bones, muscles, etc. The doctor showed Takai an x-ray image of a skull. There seemed to be a sort of rough vertical hole on its forehead.

"This is the patient's skull," The doctor explained. "As you can see, the forehead has a compound fracture."

"Compound fracture?"

"It is a type of skull fracture where there is a break in the skin and a splintering of the skull bone. Based on your explanation, the bullet only grazed the skull but it didn't touch the brain which is good news. If the bullet damaged his brain tissue even slightly, there would be further complications or perhaps death."

"Thank god," Takai released a sigh of relief from the news.

"Now for the bad news," The doctor then changed the image in the monitor. Now it displays the brain and he pointed at the front part of it. "Now this is his brain, do you see this?"

"Yes,"

"This is the frontal lobe. It is responsible for a person's motor function, problem solving, spontaneity, memory, language, initiation, judgment, impulse control, and social and sexual behavior. This part of the brain is bleeding due to the fragments of the fracture splintering it. Not only is he suffering a compound fracture and other injuries, but he has also brain hemorrhage which is a type of stroke when the artery in the brain bursts and caused localized bleeding in the surrounding tissues. This bleeding kills brain cells."

"How long until he recovers?" Takai asked with cold sweat dripping in his face. He never imagined it would get this bad.

"It depends on the size of the hemorrhage." The doctor held his chin. " Based on our CT scan, it seems small but the damage could still be severe with possible permanent symptoms."

"What kind of symptoms?"

"Common symptoms of brain hemorrhage include severe headache, seizures, impaired vision, and more. We expected a loss of motor functions since not only it is one of those symptoms, the damage is in the frontal lobe so there's a high chance he could become crippled permanently. Yet his functions are fine. He is very lucky but the other thing we have to worry about is his mental state. Who knows what he will do or what he'll become when he wakes up. The boy might have memory loss, or worse, vascular dementia."

"No..." Takai could only stare down at the floor, ashamed of what he put the hero through. He formed a fist in his hand so tightly blood could burst out of the palm. Inside his mind, he kept blaming himself for letting such a tragic event befall on someone who doesn't deserve to suffer.

"We did everything we can," The doctor tried to reassure him with sympathy. "All we can do now is pray that he'll live with the strength to continue his normal life."

_"That's impossible, doctor..."_ Takai thought. _"Everything won't return to normal for him. It all shattered... because of me."_

* * *

**One day later, 8:00 AM**

The train finally arrived at the station where the Sobu High students were to ride home to Chiba. Some of the students are sleep deprived due to staying up late at night chatting and playing while others still have some energy to talk about mundane topics and for the excitement of returning to their homes. The Hayama clique is talking like normal after last night although there is a slight difference...

"So what are you gonna do when you get home?" Tobe asked.

"Hmm..." Ebina held her chin to think. "Sleep, eat lots of food then sleep some more!"

"That's it?! You're gonna get fatter if all you do is eating!"

"No, I won't." Ebina shook his head in denial. "We're gonna get tired when we get home so I'll be spending the entire day storing energy! Then tomorrow, I'll binge-watch and read all BLs all day long! And what do you mean 'fatter'? That's rude!"

"I'm not being ruuudee~. I'm just spitting facts." Tobe stuck his tongue out to mock her.

"Hah? What facts?" Miura stepped in wearing an annoyed expression. "More like throwing up bullcrap! That's not how you should talk to girls, you insensitive jerk."

"And you're not one to talk about food," Ebina said while folding her arms. "I bet you're more of a glutton than anyone else."

"Haha! You're wrong." Tobe retorted with a smirk." I am a healthy man. I ate more greens than any herbivores. Right, Hayama?!"

"I don't know..." Hayama held his chin in thought. "I think I only saw you eating mostly meat and junk food."

"Oi, that ain't true!"

"So we were right," Ebina nodded to herself with a satisfied grin. "I bet you're the one getting fatter. I feel bad for the soccer club if you get sloppy."

"I'm not getting sloppy! In fact, I'm doing better than our ace."

"Weelll~, I think your volleys are getting worse." Ooka joined in with a teasing grin.

"What?!" Tobe couldn't believe his claim until Yamato added more salt to the wound.

"Oh yeah, now that you mentioned it, you need to work more on your crosses."

"Oh, come on!" The orange-haired boy slouched.

"Hehe, denial is the first stage of grief," Ebina patted his shoulder with a mocking smirk. "It's okay Tobecchi~"

"Like hell it is!"

"Oooh, anger~. 2nd stage of grief. You're progressing a lot quicker than I thought!"

"Shut up! When we get back to school, I'll show you all my cool kicks!"

"Oh, really? Then I hope I won't see your legs all flabby with fat."

"And I hope I won't see you breaking a seat from the weight you would gain."

"Is that so? Well, in your case-"

Tobe and Ebina are now closer to each other than before. Normally, an awkward atmosphere would be emitted if these two ever interact or even make eye contact but the clique was immediately surprised at Tobe's and Ebina's interaction today. However, in the end, They didn't mind and accepted this new change as long as their friendship and clique are still strong. Other classmates seemed to notice that change and Hayama can already imagine what rumors and gossip they'll be spreading now once school day returns but he's not really worried since he doubts that whatever lies they tell won't affect Tobe and Ebina.

While the clique is talking lively about their opinions on the Kyoto trip, Yuigahama and Yukinoshita observed their behavior and felt relieved that things are back to normal. The orange-haired girl's cellphone suddenly vibrated and she took it out of her pocket to see Isshiki calling her. She answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Yahallo! Iroha-chan!"

_"Yahallooo...Yui-senpai~..."_ Isshiki responded in a drowsy voice and yawned.

"Did you just woke up, Isshiki-san?" Yukinoshita asked.

_"Yeeeahhh~..."_ The two girls heard Isshiki yawned once more and the sounds of blankets and pillows ruffling around. _"Still sleepy... I stayed up all night looking at cute cat pictures that I'll send you later~..."_

"T-that is not necessary but," The Ice Queen released a fake cough to fix her voice while blushing. "I appreciate that."

_"Hehe~... So how did the confession go?"_

"It was successful. Tobe confessed his feelings to her and got rejected." Yukinoshita answered without hesitation.

_"EH!? Why is it successful when he got rejected?!"_ Isshiki asked and they heard a sudden ruffling of some fabric.

"Tobe's request is for him to confess his feelings to Ebina regardless of the outcome," Yukinoshita explained. "All the things we have done on this trip were to minimize the possibility of rejection for his reassurance but it still happened. Regardless, he was prepared for this outcome from the start."

_"Yeah, but..."_

"Iroha-chan!" Yuigahama stepped in. "Look on the bright side! They're still friends after that and everything is still sailing like normal!"

_"Oh! Then I guess that solves that!"_

"Yup! Right now, we're about to ride the train so let's all hang out when we get back home!" Yuigahama suggested excitedly.

_"Okay! Where do we go first? Should we go to the mall? There are some new clothes I'd like to try out!"_

"That sounds good!"

"I think I won't be suited for that activity," Yukinoshita turned down their invitation nervously.

_"Don't be like that, Yukino-senpai! You might find some cute clothes that suit you!"_

"Yeah, and uhh..." Yuigahama massages her temples to come up with something to persuade her friend. "Uuuhhh... OH! We can look at cats at pet stores! And there is that cafe I wanna try where you can pet lots of cats!"

Her persuasion seemed to work since Yukinoshita flinched at the mention of cats being part of the activity today. The Ice Queen is exhausted from this school trip with fulfilling the request and going in different landmarks and locations. It was fun for her but it's normal for someone to be tired from all the activity even if it's all walking and taking pictures. However, her pure love for cats and feline creatures would make the adrenaline inside her body flow and could make her go for another fun activity.

"O-okay," Yukinoshita finally accepted their invitation although not without blushing. "I am curious about that cafe you mentioned so I will tag along."

"Yay!"

_"Yay!"_

Yuigahama and Isshiki cheered simultaneously and then started talking about what other plans to do after the mall. Meanwhile, Sagami, Kawasaki, Totsuka, and Zaimokuza are talking about Hikigaya's health and absence. They didn't think his sickness could be that serious but they're still worried about him nonetheless. It was a shame that Hikigaya went home ahead of them. Even though there isn't much to do since this is the day they will leave Kyoto, Sagami still wanted to talk to him more with all the time left and the time on their ride back to Chiba. She let out a disappointed sigh which is her eighth time this morning.

"It's okay, Sagami-san," Totsuka tried to cheer her up. "He'll be fine."

"I know, I know..." Sagami responded and looked up to contemplate other things.

"The heart of a maiden is as vexing as the goblins' trickeries," Zaimokuza said while folding his arms. "Dragging a man's heart is a troublesome disaster for the male race."

"Did you say something?" Sagami asked in a menacing tone, taking offense to his statement while glaring at him.

"Uhh, I mean-"

"I think what he said Hikigaya got sick because of your date." Kawasaki intervened with an indifferent tone.

"Oi! Don't put words in my mouth, monstrous princess!"

"What did you call me?" Kawasaki glared at him.

"I-I mean carry on! Fair graceful princess!" Zaimokuza slowly retreated while giving her a salute, Leaving Kawasaki and Sagami alone in their argument.

"So yeah, you must've tired him out on that date." Kawasaki exclaimed.

"No, I didn't. Our date was spectacular, mind you." Sagami rebutted and then lifted her chest and smirk. "Want me to show you our selfies? He wasn't smiling at the first three but he came along immediately after that."

"I'm not saying that the date was terrible," Kawasaki shook her head in disappointment to her argument. "I'm saying that you didn't consider what Hikigaya was feeling at that time so that both would feel satisfied and well when the date ends."

"And what do you know about dates? You don't even have a boyfriend." Sagami pointed at Kawasaki.

"It's what treating others that matters." Kawasaki countered the argument.

"And I treated him in the best way possible."

"More like forced him to treat _you_ in the best way possible."

"Okay, is there something wrong?! Because you've been acting like this since we announced our date two days ago!"

"N-nothing is wrong..." Kawasaki stuttered but still maintained her indifferent expression despite the redness in her cheeks. Sagami noticed the change in tone and expression and gave her a scrutinizing stare to analyze the silvery blue-haired girl's suspicious attitude. Sagami is not exactly as skillful at this as her "boyfriend" but it is decent nonetheless. Her eyes widened when she finally understood what Kawasaki's sudden change in behavior meant.

_"I knew it! She has feelings for him! Of course, she does, what kind of girl would visit his house often and bring her little sister along!"_ She mentally screamed in jealousy and anger at her rival. In her opinion, Kawasaki could be difficult to compete against. Her mind once again wandered the same thoughts on the first night of the trip **(In Chapter 6)**: They were both loners so they understood each other well; they both excel at academics although Kawasaki is more hardworking in studying than Hikigaya since he's lazy at certain subjects, and they both have younger siblings and deeply care for them. _"I have a little brother too but we don't get along, and my big brother is just a jerk. I'm only average in grades. They even live close to each other! AAAAHHH! Saki-chan and Hachiman have good chemistry between their personalities and appearances... I can't win against her... Now that I take a good look, Saki-chan's body has good curves... And her breasts are..."_

Sagami started staring at Kawasaki's breast with widened, focused eyes. She seemed to ignore her entire surroundings as she focused and wander how her friend achieved such a feminine accomplishment.

"S-Sagami?" Kawasaki tried to wake her out of a trance but didn't work. She followed Sagami's stare to realize she's staring at her breasts. Kawasaki hid them in her arms out of embarrassment while blushing.

"All right! Class 2-F huddle up!" Hiratsuka gathered the class. "One last attendance call for this trip. Now then, as always in alphabetic order-"

"Hey, hey have you seen the news," A female classmate whispered to another while the homeroom teacher called the students' names one by one. "A gang war just happened last night."

"A gang war?" The other female student looked up while holding her chin. "From what I heard, it was Isato hunting down those gangs and drug dealers."

"Yeah, but there was news in Chiba that Isato saved a man from being killed that same night so how did he do two things at the same time in different regions?"

"Looks like there's a vigilante uprising."

"You think there's a new vigilante?"

"But which one of them Isato and the other a new guy?"

The gossip spread not just the entire class but all the Sobu High students. Some felt relief now that they're about to leave Kyoto after hearing the news while others didn't care much as long as they're safe and sound. Only three people feel shocked and worry about this news: Hayama, Sagami, and Hiratsuka.

_"It can't be..."_ Hayama covered his mouth with a hand as he imagined the hero facing such a task beyond him.

_"I knew something was suspicious with that drunkard teacher."_ Hiratsuka formed a serious expression but immediately went back to check the attendance while giving short glances at the suspicious teacher who announced Hikigaya's sick leave.

_"Hachiman..."_ Sagami took out her phone and dialed Hikigaya's number. The phone rang, waiting for the hero on the other side to answer only to hear a robotic female voice saying the number she reached didn't respond. She called again a few times but the results were the same. The brown-haired girl resisted the urge to cry or even release a single tear to calm herself. _"Please, answer!"_

* * *

Rokudo is busy cooking for breakfast while Nanako is watching television news. This is their second day off and the plan for today is to relax in the house. Rokudo suggested to her that he will cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for today because he noticed how she's acting strange since last night so he wanted her to relax more and let him do the chores. The husband is not an expert cook like his wife but it is still decent enough to be edible. Komachi meanwhile, is upstairs reading a magazine while listening to music on her cellphone. The parents' activities were immediately interrupted when the sound of the telephone ringing echoed throughout the house.

"I'll get it," Rokudo put down the knife and tried to walk into the phone but Nanako stood up.

"No, I'll go. You go back to finish our breakfast, dear." Nanako said while already walking to the ringing telephone. The husband followed her request and continued chopping the ingredients. She looked at the number but she couldn't recognize who is it from and so she answered the call out of curiosity. "Hello?"

_"Hello?"_ The voice of an old man spoke on the phone. _"Is this the Hikigaya residence?"_

"Yes, who is this?"

_"This is Kanai Hospital in Kyoto. We want to inform you about Hikigaya Hachiman-"_

While She is talking on the telephone, her young daughter went downstairs. Komachi walked into the living room to talk to her father since the mother is busy on the phone.

"Hey, dad?" Komachi called out to him while he is putting their family breakfast on the plates: A simple fried egg, and his special Oyakodon, which means chicken and eggs on rice. The rice in particular has a yellow color and consists of generous portions of vegetables. there is also miso soup and fried tofu. After he finished setting the food, the father finally responded.

"Yeah?"

"Is Onii-chan not back yet?" She asked while smelling the steamy breakfast and sat down.

"I don't think so," He answered while removing his pink apron. "He might just be riding the train by now."

"Eeeeehhh?!" Komachi rests her chin on the table in disappointment that her older brother isn't back yet. "

"Be patient, Komachi," Her father tried to cheer her up while fanning the smell of food toward her with the folded apron. Her nose twitched at the delicious scent and raised her head with a wide smile. "And eat some breakfast. A good girl needs to fill her stomach."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Suddenly, the mother shouted at the person on the telephone in rage and tears. Her daughter and husband looked at her back and slowly approached her in worry. They could hear her weeping cries and saw her covering her mouth with a hand.

_"I apologize for bringing you this terrible news but it's the truth,"_ The old man on the phone spoke. The father and daughter didn't understand what the problem is but they know that it was serious. Rokudo then heard the voice of a news anchor on television talking about an incident that took place in Kyoto and watched.

_"We're currently here at the Yodo train station where bystanders caught a glimpse of a tall man in a black hood carrying an injured person last night."_ The channel showed an image on-screen of what the news anchor described along with an ambulance parked in front of them. _"None could identify the faces of these two suspicious individuals who exit a train that was filled with fifteen unconscious victims. Police reported that they are a gang carrying firearms and deadly knives, and were brutally assaulted by possibly that suspicious duo. Police have also found other gangs in the same condition lying in alleys and abandoned buildings after receiving anonymous calls. Many speculated that Isato and his partner traveled to Kyoto on a hunt for drug dealers and gangs while Kyoto citizens feared that a gang war might take place. However, on that same night in Chiba, a man was saved from being murdered by a wanted criminal. The vigilante known as Isato first appeared in Chiba when a failed attempt of rape took place. Since then, he stopped a few crimes and has been receiving both praises and criticisms from the media. This raises more confusion and speculations of a new vigilante appearing in either here in Kyoto or Chiba. As of now, the police is still investigating this matter and-."_

"Mom?!" Komachi called out to her mother after the call ended. The mother knelt and cried even louder. Rokudo ran towards her to kneel and hold her back.

"What is it? Is something wrong?!" He asked with a serious expression.

"It's Hachiman..." She answered between cries.

"Did something happened to him?"

"He's...in the hospital"

"What?! How?!"

Nanako explained their son's circumstance and both husband and daughter could only widen their eyes and gasp in shock. They knew Hachiman must've done another heroic act and almost cost him his life. Rokudo already connected the dots from his son's hospitalization to the news he recently watched. Komachi also listened to the news while she was staring at her mother. Both came to the conclusion they wished they were wrong, but it is the most plausible out of all other thoughts.

"I know that boy can be stupid at times but..." The mother choked on her breath and cried as loud as she could to release all of her fears and sadness. Rokudo hugged her tightly and caress her back to comfort her. He looked at Komachi who is also about to breakdown from hearing her beloved older brother hospitalized. Just imagining him in a hospital bed, not moving a single finger nor waking up no matter how much she persisted, is too much for her heart to handle.

"Komachi," The father called out to his daughter which snapped her out of those negative thoughts. "Go to your room and pack your things. We're going to Kyoto..."

"O-okay," She ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. She quickly took out the clothes she thinks is appropriate for the trip. She didn't have time to pick which clothes would look better on her nor did she care. All the little sister wants is to see her brother as quickly as possible, hoping that when they saw him, he would look at them with a smile saying everything is fine and then got scolded by the family. Komachi couldn't hold back the tears but still tried to think positive about this situation. Suddenly, her cellphone rang and she unlocked it to reveal Sagami calling. The little sister gulped as she already knew why the brown-haired girl was calling with this convenient timing.

"...Hello?" Komachi greeted.

_"Hello, Komachi?!"_ Sagami responded with her voice in a mixture of relief and desperation. _"H-How's it going?"_

"Everything... is fine."

_"Oh, uh... g-good."_ Sagami knew Komachi is lying. The little sister's voice trembled and softer than normal when she said that. Sagami is currently in the restroom of the train. She hid her emotions as long as she could from the others at least until they reached the station to Chiba. However, the brown-haired girl couldn't hold on any longer as the negative thoughts of what happened to Hikigaya took over her mind and so, she excused herself from the group and quickly walked into this restroom without raising any suspicions or signs of sadness and fear. _"Is Hachiman there? I-I've been trying to call him for a while now and he's not answering... Is he still sick?"_

"Sick?" Komachi was confused by that.

_"Y-Yeah! Your parents took him back home after being sick last night, right?!"_

"No... We didn't even get a call from any of his teachers..." Komachi heard a click on her phone and realized Sagami hung up. She suspected the brown-haired girl is crying right now. The little sister continued to pack her things despite the constant shaking in her hands. After packing up her luggage which felt long for her to finish, She went downstairs carrying it and see her dear parents ready to go. Her mother is wearing a white long dress under a red jacket while her father is wearing a black blazer jacket over a white buttoned-up shirt, and grey pants. Both are wearing scarfs as the cold temperature of autumn begins to take over. Komachi is wearing a simple red sweater and a pair of jeans. For her, the temperature is still tolerable so this attire is better. Also, she had no time to decide what to wear so she just grabbed the first clothes and be content with it.

"You have everything you need?" The father asked.

"Yeah, dad."

"Okay, then let's go to the train station."

"Mom? Dad?" The daughter called them and they turned around to wander. "Is Onii-chan going to be okay?"

"He will," Rokudo responded without hesitation, determined that his son is strong enough to overcome this. "He's a lot stubborn than you think even though he acts like a lazy jackass."

"...Okay..."

* * *

**10:00 PM Kyoto**

Takai laid his back on the bed. He's currently in the hotel that the drug dealer Shoyo rented. He is now wearing a simple white T-shirt and brown jogging pants which he wore last night before going to the hotel to avoid suspicion and being found out that he is Isato's accomplice. The tall man stood up and walked to the bathroom to wash his face, still being pressured by the immense guilt of putting the hero in a life-threatening situation. After a few seconds of thought, he made a determined look towards his reflection and then tied his long black hair into a ponytail. He started packing in his backpack with all the equipment he bought and the usual disguise of the black hood and black facemask. He went outside of the hotel and reached the same abandoned school last night. The firearms that Sugimoto bought were located in the storage room but the police already confiscated them and so the room is empty except for one thing... or person.

"Now then, one last time. Are you sure they're hiding there?" Takai slid open the door to reveal a man who has his hands and feet tied up with rope, and his mouth covered in cloth to prevent him from screaming for help. Takai tried to take care of the rest of the drug dealers by himself but the last remaining gang escaped from his radar. Whoever warned the gang on the train last night also warned the others. Fortunately, he kidnapped this drug dealer who formed a partnership with those people and so Takai forced him to spill every information on him. Takai removed the cloth to make him speak.

"I-I told you..." The man stuttered between heavy breaths. "That gang leader owned a bar near the river. He used his own job as a bartender to lure customers in joining his gang. The basement is where they're hiding!"

"Alright, good job. You don't get to have another broken arm." Takai patted his broken right arm which he grunted in pain before having his mouth covered with the cloth once again. The tall vigilante opened a door to the outside. "Make sure this room isn't all dusty."

And so he begins his objective to find the last gang and finish them. The drug dealer and leader has a bald cut with an unshaved beard. According to the list, the criminal was a college student who dropped out because of tuition problems and so he worked at his father's bar until he owns the place.

_"The bar isn't that big. No floors and lots of customers come to this place during nighttime obviously."_ Takai analyzed the information he obtained from the list and the interrogation in his mind. _"He recruits members by waiting for the last three or four drunk customers to remain and then baited them into drug addiction. It's up to those victims to whether they'd join this bastard's gang or become customers in his drug business. Whichever they chose, he will still gain benefit. Even if any of them refuse, the damage has been done and he won't waste a single chance of them falling into addiction. Coincidentally, I realized the distance between the hotel and the bar is within walking distance. Not that far from here, I can reach to their hideout in minutes."_

And he was right, Takai already arrived at the bar. He could hear the sounds of people shouting in joy and glasses clinking. He saw people entering with huge smiles on their faces and customers exiting the establishment in a drunken state, moving around in a sluggish and lightheaded manner. He entered the bar and the smell of alcohol already invaded his nose. The noise of the customers is everywhere as he walked towards the counter where he would meet the last target.

_"All this noise, all this alcohol... reminds me of unpleasant memories."_

_..._

_"Pardon the intrusion!" Takai shouted as he removed his shoes and walked around the living room only to see no one. He is now a first-year in high school and only a couple months away to become a second year with him finishing the final exam. He and his friend Hanji, enrolled in different classrooms but their friendship didn't dwindle, at least that's what Takai thought. He noticed the slow changes in him since their second semester: In the beginning, he frequently attend school very late. Despite his lazy nature, Hanji had perfect attendance since elementary because he always slept very early and woke up in like 5 am in the morning so this is the first time Hanji failed the attendance record until he became absent in weeks; Second, his grades are slowly becoming low but not to the point of failure. Takai heard from Hanji's classmates he's not paying attention in the lectures which makes him all the more impressive how he's able to maintain passable grades for the past few months. He got scolded a lot by teachers and obviously his parents; Lastly, he was seen interacting with suspicious individuals and delinquents of their school. No one knows what sort of activities Hanji has been doing but rumors already spread like wildfire._

_Yet despite all of that, He still approached Takai like always. There is no change in his tone or his approach, he just talks to him like the usual best friend._

_"Hanji?! Mr. and Mrs. Asemu?!" Takai shouted to get a response but there is only silence. He went upstairs to go to his friend's bedroom and knocked on the door. "Oi, are you in there? Why was the front door open? And why didn't you take the exam?!"_

_"Uuugghhh..." He heard Hanji's voice behind the door and then some footsteps. The door opened to reveal Hanji with messy blonde hair and wearing wrinkled white shirt and shorts. "Oh, hey... Do you know what time it is? It's kinda rude to wake me up."_

_"It's 5 in the evening!" Takai shouted, surprised at his dyed hair and appearance. Hanji looked tired as evident by his eyebags. "When did you dye your hair?"_

_"Oh, uh... a few days ago?" Hanji scratched the back of his head while his eyes are wandering around. Takai looked behind him and noticed some glass bottles on the table. He stepped in to look at the bottles and realized they are alcohol._

_"You were drinking?! You're not old enough yet!" Takai argued while clutching the bottle tightly._

_"I'm sorry, alright?" Hanji took back the bottle and sat on the bed. "I'm just tired so stop shouting. My head hurts..."_

_"... What happened to you?"_

_"I told you... I'm tired."_

_"Why? What did you do last night?"_

_"Remembering my parents' words."_

_"What does that mean?"_

_"Y'know," Hanji laid down on the bed and covered himself with a blanket. "It's so tiring, y'know? Hearing the same things, doing the same things~, it's boring..."_

_"And you resort to this?!" Takai's anger grew. "What the hell are you thinking?! Does being drunk while being underage is better than being a top student?!"_

_"Yeah,"_

_"I don't get it... Did we pressure you too much? Were we giving you too many expectations because you're smart."_

_"Probably... I don't know... I just don't want to be the genius student anymore..."_

_..._

"HEY! What's the big idea?!" A male customer who looks like a salaryman shouted at another salaryman.

"You spilled your sake at my shirt, you clumsy bastard!"

"Hah?!" The two started brawling and other drunk customers gathered around to watch the spectacle.

"Fuck him up!"

"Oi, oi, oi!. Go easy on the old man!"

"I'm gonna bet my money on ya!"

"Punch harde-! AW!" One of the drunk spectators screamed in pain when he got hit in the back. "Who did that?! Was it you!?"

"That wasn't me!" Another drunk customer raised his hands in surrender when he got his shirt tightly grabbed. "It's that tall bastard!"

"What?" Takai heard the customer's words in confusion and shock. He never did what the drunk man claimed as he only just stood and reminisce of his past. "Hey, that's not me."

"Shut it!" The customer was immediately convinced and so he tried to hit the tall vigilante with the glass mug. However, Takai caught his wrist where he held the bottle and pushed him away. He looked at the bartender who has that same bald cut and unshaved beard on the picture of the list. The drug dealer just stood there wiping a glass with a white cloth and watched the whole chaos in his bar. Just as Takai was about to approach him, other drunk customers jumped at the tall vigilante and tried to fight him.

"BAR FIGHT!" A man screamed and that signals everyone inside the establishment to fight each other. Many furniture broke and flipped over, and glasses fell into shards with all the alcohol spilling the floor. Takai caught another incoming fist and threw the man towards another drunk man charging at him. He suddenly felt pain on his back and looked behind to see another drunk idiot carrying a broken chair which indicates that's the weapon he was hit with. The drunk man was shocked to see that it didn't have any effect and then got kicked in the stomach by Takai. The fight felt endless for the tall vigilante as the enemies kept jumping at him with chairs and glasses as weapons. He fended himself off against them but he did take a few hits all over his body. Pain spread all over his body but it's not enough to slow him down yet couldn't get close to his target. Takai noticed another drunk man coming at him and then he immediately grabbed his face to throw at the bartender but the criminal sidestep to evade the flying body. Takai tried to charge at him but someone jumped at his back and others followed. They're holding him down while hitting him with their fist and furniture.

However, Takai slowly stood up while enduring the pain and shook them off. He stared at the bartender who was smiling through the whole chaos. Just as he was close to the counter, The criminal pulled out what looks like a pistol and shot his right shoulder. But what shot him was not a bullet but a small dart. Takai's consciousness slowly faded along with the pain in his body.

_"A... Tranquilizer?"_ That was the last thing he thought in his mind before falling to the floor. He could hear voices and see the bartender talking to someone but his vision was all blurry and he couldn't understand what they're discussing.

* * *

"Woah! Guys!" A man called out to his companions. He has slick black hair and swearing a green scarf, zipped black jacket, and a pair of jeans. "I found someone tied up here!"

"Seriously?" Another man looked inside the storage room to see the person Takai tied up. Four other people came to see the immobilized criminal with surprises on their expressions. The criminal doesn't know who these people are but he is glad that someone came to save him. He doesn't care about the gang since he's confident they will finish the tall vigilante for good. All the criminal needs to do now is to escape by train into another region and hopefully would make money more cautiously. The saviors untied the ropes restraining his limbs and the cloth covering his mouth.

"Hey, You alright?" The man asked.

"Y-yes!" The criminal couldn't contain his tears. Being tied up in a dark storage room alone terrified him and so finally escaping this horror is one of the best possible endings he preferred than rotting away in an abandoned school that no one comes. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem, why are you tied up here anyway?" The other man asked.

"I-I don't know!" The criminal lied. "I was just minding my own business on my house until someone broke in and knocked me out with a taser."

"What does he look like?" Another person stepped in and asked. She is a woman wearing a grey checkered cap on her head, a black, leather frock coat over her white T-shirt, brown slim pants, and black heels.

"I-I didn't see his face because he was wearing a facemask and a hood," The criminal explained. "One thing though, he's as tall as hell. I thought a giant kidnapped me and take me to his beanstalk, hahaha..."

"Giant, huh?" The woman looked at her companions and nodded to each other. He was confused and suspicious of that weird exchange until she kicked him in the stomach.

"Gah!" He clutched his stomach tightly from the pain. It almost feels like being stabbed because of her heels pierced his skin. The woman stomped his hands that are still clutching his gut and twist her foot to intensify the pain. "W-Why?! I didn't do anything wrong?"

"You said a tall idiot kidnapped you and locked you up here," The woman looked down at him in a menacing tone. "That means you're a criminal."

"What the hell are y-you t-talking about?!" The criminal stuttered as panic began spreading in his mind and body.

"Don't play dumb, that giant you were talking about is a friend of ours. And we're on a search for him. Where is he? Or else my heel will puncture a hole through your hands and into your stomach." She threatened. Just when he thought that he was free and got another chance to spread his venom underground, "his saviors" are the tall vigilante's acquaintances, thereby counting them as the worst enemies that the criminal wished he would never encounter. He wanted to call her threat as nothing but a bluff, but her intense aura around her, the terrifying look on her face as her olive-green eyes pierced through his mental strength, and her menacing companions joining in on the interrogation, made it feel like fighting back will result in death. And so, he told them everything from the location to who the tall vigilante's target is.

"A bar, huh?" The woman held her chin to think until she nodded once as if she understood and reached a conclusion. "Thanks for the info. Okay boys, tie him back up."

" No, no, wait! Please!" The criminal begged but it was all futile when they already held him down in place to prevent any useless resistance and begun tying his limbs with the same rope.

"So what's the plan?" The man with slick hair asked the woman.

"All of you are going to the bar and help him," She explained. "Meanwhile, I'll go to the hospital and guard the boy. The moment he got hospitalized, the criminals already got his identity. Let's just hope we're not too late. If you encounter any criminal with firearms and tolerated, do not hesitate to shoot, but keep in mind that saving the boys is the top priority so if you're all outnumbered, retreat when you succeed in rescuing that giant moron, Got it?"

"Yes, mam!" They all complied and now they split up to perform two different tasks. The hospital is not that far from here and so the woman will go there on foot while the distance to the bar is fairly far so the rest of the group will drive the van. As for the tied up gang member...He'll just have to tolerate another few hours until the police come to arrest him.

"That boy is in a much more dangerous position than we thought," The man with crew-cut hair said to her before following the group. "What do you think Haji- I mean Ojin is planning?"

"I don't know," The woman responded in an angry tone before walking to the direction of the hospital. "That dumbass is always hard to read. Whatever he's planning, it's wrong to drag a kid into this."

* * *

_It is now evening as the sunsets. The orange light illuminated the streets as both young students from middle school to high school walked casually, hanging out with friends with what time and what activities they have left before going home. Some adults are seen walking tiredly as they finished another day at work while other adults just bought groceries or just here outside to have fun albeit differently from the youngsters. Both young and old, everyone present here had another fulfilling day regardless of their failures of previous activities and exhaustion from working the entire day. Only one did not feel the fulfillment of this day as with any other days before this. No matter how much he tried to distract himself from the problem he is aware of, he won't feel any fulfillment nor comfort unless he faces it once again._

_Chujitsuna Takai is walking on the streets after another tiring day of school, but it is not the school activities and difficult classes that made it tiring. It is his constant thinking of his friend and the endless speculations as to why it led to his fallen state. It has been three months since Takai discovered Hanji's alcoholism and the first month of the first semester as a second-year is almost at an end. Hanji is developing worse and worse as days went by: He was absent on the entire first week of school; one time, he was only sleeping throughout the entire day; and he failed to submit any assignments but when he did, they were either incomplete or done poorly. Rumors and gossips of his current attitude also worsen with many of them are mostly baseless with no substance to prove._

_Right now, Takai is going to Hanji's home because he was absent today. Takai did everything he could to persuade his friend to come back to his normal self whether it was a one on one talk, or even resorting to violence. All efforts were useless. Hanji's parents were incredibly upset at their son's rebellious attitude to the point that Takai could see them about to give up on him. No matter what he did, he couldn't figure out what was causing his friend's fall from grace. Regardless, Takai will still be by Hanji's side because leaving him alone would make the situation even worse than it already is. Even if it is futile, he will try one more time to help because Hanji is his best friend._

_Takai is almost at his house and throughout the entire walk, he has been thinking of what he should say and do before meeting him. Hanji's parents are busy with their jobs so he may be the only one currently in the house unless he is also out doing something. As he nears the front door, Takai took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. After waiting for a few seconds, there is no response and so he pressed it again but the result was the same. He knocked on the door and called out his name._

_"Hanji?! Are you there?!" Again, no response. Takai tried opening the door and surprisingly, it is unlocked. "Pardon the intrusion..."_

_He went inside and removed his shoes before going in further to the house. All the lights are turned off, only the setting sun from the glass door of the empty living room illuminated the room, and a little of the household. Takai immediately went upstairs to Hanji's bedroom._

_"Hanji?! It's me!" Takai knocked the door to his bedroom a few times and he could hear his friend's muffled voice inside. However, he didn't respond. "Oi, Hanji?! I can hear you! Open the door!"_

_"ALRIGHT!" Hanji shouted and there is the sound of stomping on the wooden floor until the door unlocked and opened to reveal a tired Hanji with bruises on his face which came from the two of them fighting the other day. "Why the fuck do you keep bothering me when I'm asleep!?"_

_"I just want to talk."_

_"Oh, great. I'm sure that'll end well like last time..."_

_"Just tell me what's wrong? You can't just hide in your room drinki- wait, what the hell is that this time?" Takai noticed another mysterious substance on the table. It looks like a white powder of some sort along with a very small plastic tube. He was confused as to what it was until he figured it out. "Are those drugs?!"_

_"No! Will you stop looking at my bedroom without my permission!"_

_"Of all things, you're becoming a drug addict!? Did your parents know this?!"_

_"Shut up! This is my business so don't stick your ass into someone else's problem."_

_"Look, I just want to know why is this happening. I kept asking you for months and you couldn't tell me anything. You keep saying everything is fine but I'm sure as hell know it isn't. You can't just go on like this unless you lean on me or your parents so we can help you!"_

_"Why can't you just leave me alone!?" Hanji tried to punch him in the face but Takai caught his fist and grabbed his shirt collar._

_"You're my best friend, aren't you?!" The tall student screamed at him in desperation, "So I can't leave you alone!"_

_There was only silence after that. Takai is not good at forming inspiring or heartwarming speeches, but he didn't need to come up with one. All he needs to say is the reminder of their friendship to make Hanji understand that Takai will always help him whenever he's in trouble. From childhood to the present, their bond stayed strong even if Hanji is in this state. Even Hanji's parents thought that Takai is the only one who can save him from whatever madness he has entered. The silence stretched for who knows how long. Seconds, minutes, hours, both of them stood remaining in that position until Takai let go of Hanji's shirt but none of them still spoke. Takai knew his words affected his friend so he can wait as long as he can until Hanji opened up to him. After waiting a while, Hanji finally spoke._

_"You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" He said with a sigh and then sat down on the floor next to the table._

_"Yeah well, that's how I've always been to you." Takai retorted._

_"I'm not the genius you think I am," Hanji finally explained while looking down, refused to make eye contact with his friend. "It all started great in kindergarten and elementary school. Lessons are really easy that I don't even need to read the book many times to remember the important bits. Everyone praised me, you praised me as a prodigy. I thought that too but I was wrong. When we got to that prestigious middle school, it got harder and harder until I have to study hard like you. All those times, I was the most serious student to study, a lot more serious than you."_

_"Hanji..." Takai could only mumble his name as a response to his explanation._

_"All of that carefree attitude was just a front. In the end, I was studying like crazy because that's the only thing that's going for me. I'm not athletic, good at arts, or anything. I'm just an average guy. If I fail at least once, I thought that the one special trait I worked hard on was all for nothing. That one failing grade or one slip up would tell me that I can't do anything."_

_When Takai thought about, Hanji's only defining trait in school is his high academic performance. When Hanji became a leader of a group, he let others do the thinking; When Hanji do sports, he's only below average to decent; When he submits a project, Takai noticed how poorly done it was and that was before he was alcoholic. Takai only thought that all of those were just Hanji being too lazy to take any of those activities seriously but in truth, that was all Hanji can do._

_"You get it now?" Hanji broke his thoughts. "So what if I get high grades? What the hell am I gonna use that for? Getting to college, even though the career path I chose is next to impossible? Show it all off to Twitter how smart I am? Use my grades to make money? Studying is the only thing I'm good at but it won't be long until this skill is useless. After all, it's only useful in schools and universities. Stress quickly built up in me as the lessons became harder than I can handle and It went on until last year and then... my brain snapped. And that's how I turned into... this."_

_"But why did you hide it from us? Why didn't you asked for help?"_

_"Because I don't want to disappoint you nor everyone. All of your expectations of me kept me going but it was common sense that living up to too many expectations would break someone, and I just didn't notice that until it was too late. And then there's you. I inspired you to work harder to catch up with me._

_"What are you-?"_

_"Don't lie to me. I saw you back in middle school how you were that close to giving up like me right now. I acted like a kid just so I can brighten your mood and studied hard to help you."_

_"You... You didn't have to do that for me..."_

_"Yeah... maybe. But like you said, we're best friends, right?"_

_"...Right." They smiled at each other and let silence take over the room once again. Takai felt a mixture of relief and worry as he finally made Hanji talk but he isn't aware that his friend was too stressed. He misunderstood Hanji's true talent as a gift but it was only polished by effort. The same way as Takai did. And it's the only ability that Hanji has right now. Hanji is weak at everything else but he is the strongest between best friends. He suffered the most and no one noticed it until now. Takai resolved himself further to help his friend even in the worst of times and through the most difficult tasks._

_"Alright..." Hanji stood up and took out some plastic._

_"What are you doing?" Takai asked._

_"Throwing these things in the trash before my parents find out," He answered while pointing at the alcohol and drugs on the table. "And I'm hungry."_

_"Oh, okay. You wanna order a take out?"_

_"Yeah, pizza?"_

_"We're ordering a proper dinner. Maybe udon or-"_

_"Uuuuuggghhh!"_

_And everything was back to the way it was. Slowly but surely, Hanji is improving his studying and other activities with Takai's help in school. The rumors didn't die down one bit and it resulted in Hanji being bullied along with Takai since he was with him the whole time. However, that didn't faze them at all as they mind their own business, although Takai did beat some of those bullies which result in a week of suspension for him. All in all, the future is bright for the two of them, at least that's what Takai thought. Apparently, Hanji was a drug addict the day after he found out he was an alcoholic. Hanji couldn't contain his urge and after meeting the drug dealer, Shoyo, that was his breaking point. He went back to being the delinquent and now his parents couldn't take the stress he had given them, so they gave up and also succumb to the illegal substance. Takai thought if he had helped his best friend sooner, if he had shown more resolve, it wouldn't lead to this ending. He did what he could but it was too late from the start. As if it wasn't bad enough, there are rumors of Hanji committing crimes. The police investigated the matter but they found no evidence to confirm the suspicion as Hanji hid the drugs and evidence too well. Takai wanted to confess to the police but he didn't want to betray his friend. If Hanji is arrested, then his life is over. Takai couldn't bear to see Hanji's life crumbling even more and so he would solve this issue by himself but all efforts were useless._

_"...I failed..."_

* * *

Takai felt pain in his head. He fell asleep but he couldn't remember what happened before that. Memories are blurry along with his vision as his eyes felt too heavy to open and the headache intensified. Still, Takai opened his eyes to see the table and the bartender sitting across from him. He realized he is on a chair with his hands restrained on the back and his legs tied up. The surroundings were still too blurry and dark for him to assess where he is now but he finally remembered what happened to him.

_"That's right, I was in a bar and a fight just broke out..."_ Takai thought as he tried to remember the details of that scene. _"A lot of those drunkards fought me and then I got shot with a tranquilizer."_

"You woke up way earlier than I expected," The voice of the bartender echoed in his ear. "Even though this tranquilizer only makes you lose consciousness for a couple of hours, it is still surprising, nonetheless."

"Where the hell am I?" Takai asked.

"The basement of the bar," The bartender answered as the lights turned on to reveal a room with a bunch of crates lying around. Takai noticed men are surrounding them. "I figured that you would target me next but I didn't expect you to just waltz right into my bar so casually. Are you planning something or are you just an idiot?"

"How did you even know I'm the vigilante on the news."

"It was more of a guess, actually. You being tall and all, and how much of a coincidence that someone like you barge into my bar while we were just talking about you and that vigilante last night."

"Is that so? Damn, sometimes being this height sucks" The tall vigilante responded with a laugh. "Oh, by the way, your question earlier? Sorry, I thought you would be easy to handle so I thought taking you all on is the best plan for me."

"Don't talk shit about boss!" One of the bartender's lackeys shouted and punched Takai in the face.

"Enough," The bartender ordered him to stop. "So you think that you can take us on all because we're just a 'gang' or a group of small-time drug dealers?"

"I guess..."

"Well, you thought wrong. After all, I am the one who persuaded that other gang to attack you on the train."

"What? You're behind all that!? How did you even know where we were?"

"You were following the list, right?" The bartender's answer shocked Takai. "I'm the one who made the list and shared it to a man named Sugimoto. I assume you got it from him since he was the first one to get arrested by the police last night. It wasn't easy for us stalking all of them to find personal information, y'know? but it was worth it. I noticed how the order of the drug dealers taken down is at the same order as the list and so I predicted where you would go next and send the other gang we've partnered with to deal with you, but they failed. Well, it doesn't hurt us one bit, in fact, it benefited me even further."

"What do you mean, it'll 'benefit' you?"

"Oops, that's how far I can tell you," The boss of this gang raised a finger on his mouth. "If you want to know more, then you have to do something for me..."

"Yeah? Whatever the hell it is, I'm not doing it."

"Don't be like that. We went as far as to stop our business to take care of you. Starting that bar fight for us to kidnap you without anyone noticing, literally messed up my bar but I can pay the damages. However, we ruined our time of drug business all for you."

_"Damn, he got the same idea as mine. I thought that making a bar fight would distract whoever his gang members are while I deal with him." _He thought while gritting his teeth. The criminal who was locked up in the storage room told him they were hiding firearms which means if he charged right into their basement, he would immediately get shot so his perfect chance was while the bar was open and full of customers. But the drug dealer was one step ahead. "Wow, I'm flattered. How about you untie me so I can hug you to death?"

"How hilarious. Anyway, what I want from you is to-" Before the bartender could finish his sentence, they all heard a mysterious sound upstairs. The screams of their companions and the loud varied gunfire made the others in the basement nervous as they wondered who's the intruder. All of them pulled out their pistols behind their pants except for the bartender who stood up and walked towards a wall. As they heard the clicking sound of the doorknob, the criminals aimed their guns at the door. The door opened slightly and an object was thrown into their feet. It looks like a small cylinder-like object.

"FLASHBANG!" One of them shouted to warn the others but it was too late as they were blinded by the sudden bright flash of light and their ears rang. Takai managed to save his eyes on time but he can't protect his ear from the blast. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw the supposed intruders knocking out criminals. One criminal recovered in time and blocked a punch to the face. He aimed the gun at the man and shoot but the intruder kicked his hand which made him dropped the gun. The intruder punched his liver and stomach and then uppercut his chin. He then ended it with a straight punch in the face. The other criminals also recovered from the flashbang. One of them tried to aim the gun but a man with slick hair shot his hand. He dropped the gun along with blood dripping as the bullet pierced his hand.

"Freeze! put the guns down!" The intruders threatened with their pistols pointing at the remaining conscious criminals. None can fight back and they were outnumbered since many of their companions fell, so they dropped their weapons and raised their hands in the air to surrender.

"Hey, are you alright?" The slick-haired man untied the restraints on Takai.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Takai reassured him and stood up towards the wall where the bartender was. _"That guy must've disappeared the moment the flashbang exploded. This must be a secret exit."_

Takai touched the brick wall to find some sort of secret button or switch to open the secret door and he pushed a brick that sank into the wall. A certain area of the wall slid down to reveal the secret exit.

"Whoa, a secret exit?!" One of the intruders/saviors were astonished. "Did you know there was one?"

"I just saw that bastard leaning on this wall but after the flashbang exploded, he vanished." Takai explained to them.

"And so you thought there's a secret exit, huh?" A woman spoke. She has long black, hair with a long fringe just over her eyes. She's wearing a black cardigan over a grey blouse, a pair of jeans, and black heels. "We'll go after him while you stay here and wait for the cops to pick you up safely, okay?"

"... Got it." The rescued vigilante looked at the backs of their saviors while they were going after the gang leader. Who are they? Are they cops? Or a gang that has a grudge on the bartender? These questions formed in his mind will be remained unanswered until he either asked them or find out by himself in a different way. But for now, he needs to escape. _"Wait, she said the cops are coming here, right? Then I better get the hell out of here. I don't wanna get discovered even if they would write me out as anonymous in the interrogation."_

* * *

**A few minutes ago. While they were rescuing Takai**

The woman ran as fast as she could to the hospital even though she's wearing heels. It would take balance, posture, and perfect footwork for her to run so fast while not stumbling upon the risk of twisting her ankle or breaking the heels. Within a matter of seconds, she can already see the hospital building in a distance and her excitement grew. She licked her lips while expecting assassins infiltrating the medical establishment to kill the boy who needs protection. The objective sounds too difficult and dangerous for one person to perform alone and yet the woman is confident enough to handle this.

_"If they figured out his identity, then they would only send one assassin to do the job,"_ She speculated in her mind. _"After all, He's only a defenseless boy in a coma. It would be overkill and kinda wasteful to send a group."_

She stopped her line of thought as she ran into the strangely open gate. This could mean the assassin already infiltrated the hospital as she also saw the guards killed.

_"Shit!"_ The woman didn't have time to think about the murdered guards and instead ran inside the building to face the assassin. She already knew which floor she would climb and what room the boy is currently sleeping. When she reached the second floor, she was surprised at the intruders running in the hallway. They all wear casual clothing which could mean they're amateurs or just delinquents doing the assassination. What she's mostly confused about are their numbers. They're a group of five and they're running in the hallway without even worrying the security cameras catching a glimpse of their faces.

_"Either they're complete amateurs or something else is going on here."_ She pulled out her pistol and shot a few bullets, aiming at their legs. Two assassins got hit one leg and both tumbled down. The others were shocked by the sudden gunfire and took out their guns but the woman was already in their proximity. She jumped and kicked the gun away from the criminal's hand and then attacked with a side kick to the chest. She ducked down to dodge a predictable gunshot from the other man and did a left reverse kick to his head, a low right kick to the leg to make him trip and ended with an ax kick in the face.

She suddenly got punched in the face by the last assassin and then in the stomach before he slapped the gun away. She dodged another punch in the face and blocked an incoming side kick with her outer wrist. She bent backward to evade a roundhouse kick to the face which caused her barret cap to fall and let out her long brown hair. The woman countered with an ankle kick, then dodged an incoming straight punch in the face to perform a back kick to the chest. The criminal was pushed back but he didn't fall down.

_"This guy has experience," _The woman said with a confident smirk. "Can you please lie down already? These heels are expensive so I don't wanna break them."

The assassin didn't listen as he posed his fighting stance. She sighed and did the same as well. The two only stared at each other while slowly approaching each other. Each step increases the tension as they both readied themselves against each other's attacks. The long brown-haired woman moved first by raising her right foot. He saw that and he anticipated the kick, but that was a feint as she jumped a little and kicked his liver with her left foot.

A jump front turning kick.

She then did two right consecutive kicks; one at his ankle and the other to his face. He got hit by the low kick but successfully blocked and then blocked a side kick to the chest. His forearm is in intense pain because of her heel, but he held it in. Now, it's the assassin's turn to strike back as he starts with two straight punches. The woman blocked them with her palms but she was hit in the side by a right hook punch. He thrust a kick to her abdomen, an uppercut to the chin, and then tried to end it with a punch to the face. However, she caught his fist on time to pull him closer and performed a shoulder throw. The woman ended it by stomping his chest and then kicked his temple which made him unable to stand up. She heard a click on the door and looked at the end of the hallway to see a criminal with his leg bleeding from the gunshot lockpicking the door and slid it open.

_"Oh no, you don't!"_ Fortunately, he couldn't move fast enough because of his leg injury so he was limping into the room. She got in time to tackle the man down. She stood up and kicked his abdomen and then his face. She panted for a few seconds before going back outside to check the others. One was unconscious while the others couldn't move from the pain except one who was on all-fours. She quickly walked towards him and hit the back of his head with an ax kick.

"Please stay down. All of you," She threatened them with a terrifying glare. The fiery venom in her voice and eyes is stronger and more dominant than her daughters. "If not, then these heels will do the work on your heads."

All of the assassins were silent, but they're not moving at all which means they complied. She went back to the room and see Hikigaya in bed. His head is wrapped around in bandages, an oxygen mask in his mouth, and a feeding tube attached to his arm that is connected to the TPN. She slowly approached the boy and stared at his unconscious form.

"Oh my god..." She mumbled while lightly combing his hair with her hand. "You're really stupid, kid... But still cool. I'm here to protect you so get good sleep, okay, Hikio?"

She gave him a warm smile before thinking back to the assassins that attempted to kill him. It was odd the moment she saw them, from their numbers to their plan of assassination.

_"That other guy doesn't have any weapons..."_ She looked outside to stare at the criminal who put up a good fight. _"He was just attacking me with his bare fist. What could this mean?"_

Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket and she answered.

"Hello?"

_"Miura-san."_ A man's voice spoke on the phone. _"We saved the kid. How are things on your end?"_

"It was easy." Miura Yuko answered while dragging the criminal inside the room outside. "Five guys, two had guns while the others don't have any. Something is going on here."

_"I'll say. This bartender has a secret exit in the basement of his bar. He escaped but we still caught his lackeys."_

"Alright, we'll worry about him later. Get Chujitsuna into the van and meet me at this location."

_"Uuhhhh about that..."_

"What? Don't tell me he escaped after you saved him."

_"While we were running after the drug dealer, he escaped the moment we told him the cops are coming to take care of him..."_

"Ugh, whatever," She rubbed her temple as if she had a headache from the situation. "Just go to the meeting place. Chujitsuna will come to us eventually. Is that clear?"

_"Yes, mam..."_ And the call ended at that. Miura suddenly heard a scream and saw a nurse looking terrified at the sight of people lying on the ground in pain and blood on their bodies.

"Hey, you work in the night shift?" Miura asked nonchalantly, indifferent to her reactions.

"Y-yes,"

"It's best that you go home early. This situation could get worse." She warned and all the nurse could do is nod frantically before running away.

* * *

"Hmm... everything went all perfectly." The bartender mumbled while looking at footage on a tablet. The footage was Yuko fighting in the hospital hallway. He's currently riding in the back of the car contemplating his next action.

"But sir, what about the others?" The driver who is one of the drug dealer's subordinates asked.

"Leave them be." He answered while swaying his hand to show that he didn't care for the other gang members. "We'll get more subordinates once I persuaded the syndicate to give me money, weapons, and even a few of their best men."

"How, sir?"

"Well, since you're the only one left, I might as well tell you what my plan was when I came here in Kyoto." The bartender explained while still watching the footage. "You see, my original plan was to get rid of some of the gangs present here by finding every information about their leaders and give the list to Sugimoto. Then, we were supposed to kill few of the gangs to spread fear among the others and blamed it on Sugimoto since having the list is the biggest evidence against him with me being the one discovering his "motive", and convince all the gangs to ally with me to deal with him. That was plan A."

"Plan A?"

"Yes, Have a close relationship with all criminals and convince them to come to my side. Then, I would rise to power and form my own syndicate. It would be a slow process but it will be worth it. That was what I intended to do, at least until something completely unexpected happened. Can you guess what that is?"

"The appearance of Isato in Kyoto?"

"Correct, thanks to that vigilante's appearance, plan A is impossible to perform since there is someone else knocking out the gangs one by one. But when I realized that he stole the list from Sugimoto, I suddenly thought of two back-up plans: plan B was to let the vigilante run rampant until we were the last two to three gangs and then warn the others in order to kill him once and for all. If that fails when the vigilante lives and most of the gangs are completely useless, then we go to Plan C: Get evidence that Isato is here in Kyoto ruining the Barbaros Syndicate's drug business and convince said syndicate to give me money and more assets. That would be the most difficult mission but lady luck came to me. The vigilante was hospitalized."

"And so plan C came to fruition in which the first step is to blackmail the receptionist and security guard working on the cameras to force them to get the identity of the vigilante," The driver figured out the plan as he remembered the missions the boss gave to them. "Once you have that, you will gain footage and access to the building. But what kind of footage are you looking for?"

"The footage of him being protected by the police," The bartender answered. "This Isato person was a complete mystery to the public eye. His first appearance was when a rape attempt took place. After that, many people claimed to be saved by him. And then there were incidents like the convenience store robbery and the restaurant. There should've been witnesses that saw the whole scene but the news only stated that the vigilante was just there. My guess was that he was protected by the police department, especially by the 'Ghost'."

"The... Ghost?"

"He... or she, is an unknown detective that solved many crimes and captured infamous syndicates and wanted criminals. The old man told me many things about him. He is not one to mess with. We criminals call him the Ghost since I don't know... someone is so scared of him that he thought a ghost killed his criminal life or something? I don't care."

"What made you think that 'Ghost' is the one protecting Isato?"

"I told you, the old man told me many things about him. One thing is how he likes to perform... social experiments. The last time I heard of the detective was that he was now working in Chiba. I don't know why but he is weird like the old man said."

"Was kidnapping Isato's partner also part of the plan?" The driver asked while they stumbled upon traffic.

"Not really, It was more of a just-in-case scenario should he try to attack us. Anyway, once I get the evidence, I will ask the syndicate to let me deal with the situation in exchange for my favors."

"I see... So is the footage you have now what you needed?"

"Yes, though I don't know who this woman is." The boss held his chin as he stared at the face of Miura Yuko on the tablet screen. "Hmm... Based on that fighting style... Taekwondo?"

"May I see it, sir? I think I might know her."

"Hoh~? Then here you go." He turned the tablet to show the driver her face while the traffic is still stopping the vehicle. For a few seconds, the driver finally answered.

"This woman was part of a task force responsible for raiding a well-known syndicate in Tokyo years ago." He spoke while his eyes are on the road as the vehicles are moving. "She was known for her odd choice of martial arts when dealing with criminals. I don't know her name though."

"What's odd about Taekwondo?"

"Nothing, sir. It's just that it's not exactly a recommended choice of martial arts in the police department. The common martial arts the police academy teaches are something like aikido, krav maga, or judo."

"Basically, martial arts that involve subduing the criminal without harming them, huh?"

"Well, they do teach Muay Thai on some academies."

"Interesting, why would someone from Tokyo appeared now of all times, especially here to protect the boy from Chiba?"

"I heard that she transferred out of Tokyo after the raid. No one knows where she is."

"Hmm... I actually feel bad for them not giving the proper equipment. I would be killing two birds with one stone if they kill the vigilante while I got the footage but still, this is even better than I thought. " The bartender snickered while thinking about all the information he was given. This would convince the syndicate to give him what he wants but this could also discourage them to pursue business in this country. The Barbaros Syndicate sent a small group to establish their own drug business in Japan and this is not the first time. He heard that they've been attempting to do this for many years now and they all failed even though some of those attempts were close to success. Instead of selling the products themselves, they hired Japanese small-time drug dealers to do it for advertisement while not getting caught. The reason they picked small drug dealers was that they were easier to persuade and asking a big organization would risk being discovered by the detective and the cost would be too much for their standards. The plan would indeed work, if not for the bartender's scheme and Isato's interference. This is the best chance for him to gain more power from the syndicate. It's all a matter of wordplay to decide the outcome so he has to choose his words carefully and his act more determined enough to persuade them.

"Are we getting close?" He asked while looking out in the window.

"It should take five minutes to reach their hideout." The driver answered.

"Good. I can't wait to see what will happen next."

"May I ask one last question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"What kind of favor were you about to ask the tall individual?"

"Oh, him? I was trying to convince him to join me. With his stature and physical capabilities, wouldn't he be the perfect loyal dog?"

"Indeed he is. Will you try to convince him again once you encounter him?"

"If it's possible, then yeah. And as for Isato... Let's see what else he can do for now."

* * *

WHEW! Things are getting heated up. Looks like we got ourselves a villain. What are his motives? What is planning in the future? Who knows! No 8man this chapter since he's now hospitalized. I wonder what would happen once he woke up? Find out next time!

Thank you for reading this chapter. Please leave a review to share your opinions as they will help make this story better.


	9. Chapter 9: While The Hero Sleeps II

Guess who's back?! This story! That's who! Sorry it took so long for me to write this chapter since I have two things on my mind that kept me busy: My own personal life, and certain trouble in deciding the direction of this story (You'll see when you read this chapter).

So Oregairu finally ended, huh? It's kinda sad but it was a great journey for me. In my opinion, the final season is a 7/10. Again, the whole prom thing kinda threw me off, but the dialogues and characters are still there in their powerful charms. For the overall series, 10/10. Kinda contradicting to my thoughts on the final season, I know. But the series taught me a lot of things and holds a special place in my heart. Not exactly the best anime but it's up there.

Thank you for the wonderful journey, Wataru Watari

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But if you have the drive, please make a sequel like some afterstory or whatever. Like, write at least a short story about the characters as adults. "My Adult Rom-Com Is Wrong As I Expected"... Or something.

Well, with that out of the way, let's begin!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Oregairu series as it is respectfully owned by the author and studios.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: While The Hero Sleeps II: The Heart Still Slumbers At Rebirth**

It was dark. No, it was literally nothing but black in his vision. There was no feeling in his body. He couldn't even move. Did he die? Had he left the world of the living? Was he alone? How could this have happened?

Or more importantly, what really happened?

It took moments for him to realize that he wasn't in a dark place. His eyes were just closed. The only part he could move in his body were his right index finger. Sounds finally entered his ears albeit faint and indistinguishable. He could feel the temperature of the room which was comfortable. Not hot bor cold. A soft and relaxing sensation was felt in his back and a strange feeling around his mouth area. He desperately tried to open his eyes, but it was as if his eyelids were so heavy he couldn't lift them. He didn't stop anyway as the longer he would stare at the darkness the feeling of desperation would grow even bigger. Finally, his eyes opened slightly and light came to his vision. He opened wider to see blurry colors and a figure what appeared for him to be a person in white clothing. He attempted to speak or at least let out his voice but the only thing that got out of his mouth was his breathing and low grunting voice. The person in white seemed to catch that and looked at him. His vision was slowly recovering and realized this person was a woman based on the outline and figure despite the blurriness. He heard her voice speaking but it was still too muffled for him to understand. He tried lifting his eyelids higher but this was as far as he could go. Fortunately, his vision became much clearer until he could see things normally once again. With his recovered vision, he realized he was lying on a bed, with a small tube attached at the back of his right arm and a huge amount of bandages wrapped in his left. The woman quickly exited the room and seemed to be shouting at something or someone outside. Speaking of which, he slowly turned his head to look around what sort of room this was, although he could guess the answer based on what he had in his arms. Regardless, he looked to the right with hopes that his assumption was wrong but it was met with the painful view of reality. He saw two things that shattered his hopes: One was a monitor showing zigzag lines with different colors; and a clear plastic bag full of unknown liquid. The bottom of the bag had a tube that was connected all the way to the back of his right arm.

It was a heart monitor and an IV bag.

He was in a hospital, being treated.

Knowing that, the woman in white must be a nurse.

He couldn't form any expression in his face but tears ran down from his eyes, indicating his bewilderment and despair. His hearing slowly recovered as the sounds became easier to distinguish and the muffled voices and words became easier to understand. Three people rushed inside the room and two of them looked at him in tears. The woman with short hair and wore a pair of glasses ran to him first and the young girl with short black hair came second. The man with black hair and a visible jawline on his face just stood at the door with widened eyes and slowly approached him. His vision became blurry once again but it was because of the tears covering his eyes. He tried to speak but he could only let out his rough voice.

"It's ) #(#$, it's o #$($*#_)#*" The woman spoke but he still couldn't fully understand what she was saying until his hearing fully recovered. "It's okay, sweetie. Don't cry..."

He grunted even more, attempting to at least say one word to them. The woman in glasses leaned closer and wiped the tears in his eyes, comforting him while the young girl hugged him crying on his left side carefully as to not move his raised arm cast.

"Shh... It's alright son. You're in a hospital," The man said to reassure him with a smile followed by the woman. Desperation grew even more and he finally spoke a word.

"I..." Putting all of his strength to his voice, he gained their attention by saying the first word. The three people along with the nurse who just entered with a doctor by her side went silent to give him a moment to speak.

"S...sorry...I... sorry..." He said between sobs and kept repeating his apology over and over. He remembered what happened to him. Kyoto. His encounter with the tall individual. The drug dealers. The battle on the train. He promised his little sister and parents that he would be careful, not to be reckless and charged into dangers. And yet, he did it anyway and this is the price for a broken promise. The little sister hugged him tighter with her face buried in his body while crying. The mother held his hand while caressing his head to comfort him. The father just looked at the window in guilt with an expression as if he failed. And the older brother and only son regretted his act of vigilantism. Even though he stopped a drug business, what did he actually accomplished for himself? What did his family accomplished from him being a hero and then got hospitalized for getting shot with a gun? Nothing. The strangers he helped might've gained something from being saved but in the end, they were still strangers that he barely knew their personalities. The only thing he achieved was the experience of being shot in the head and perhaps being close to death. He admitted he was afraid of death so he wasn't self-sacrificing, but he still got himself involved in situations that would kill him.

Hikigaya Hachiman truly regretted having such foolish heroism and delusional idealism.

* * *

It had been ten days since the last day of the Kyoto trip, the drug hunt incident, and the absence of Hikigaya in school. All students acted normal as if nothing happened. The drug business hunt bothered the students who went to Kyoto to some extent but they just shrugged it off since they already left the region the day after the incident occurred. Everything was fine as usual for all, except for a certain few individuals who knew the person that was injured that night. In class 2-F, it was Japanese history time with students silently focusing on the quiz. Hiratsuka, Hayama, and Miura stared at the empty chair where the lone student sat. The homeroom teacher and the Prince of Sobu High discovered Hikigaya's identity, so him leaving early on the trip due to sick leave while the drug hunt occurred on the same night was hardly a coincidence. Miura felt something wrong happened to Hikigaya and she also felt that she had the truth somewhere but couldn't put it all together. Sagami was the most devastated out of all the people aware of the hero's identity. She didn't write anything on her quiz paper. In fact, she wasn't exactly looking down at it even though she was staring down. Her eyes were lifeless as no light was reflected in them.

_"I want to go home..." _That was the only thought she had in her mind throughout half the day in school. The bell rang and everyone sighed in exhaustion from the quiz. Some stretched their arms while others quickly stood up while passing their papers. Sagami did the same and quickly grabbed her bag to leave.

"Sagami-san?" Totsuka noticed the brown-haired girl carrying her bag and was about to exit the room. "Where are you going?"

"Home. Where else would I be going..." She answered with a low voice. Before Totsuka could respond, she exited the room and cut classes. A few classmates noticed her strange behavior and they began gossiping.

"What was that all about?"

"She's been cutting classes three days ago, did something bad happened?"

"Well, her boyfriend is absent so she must be depressed that she didn't hang out with him?"

"That's a bit of an overreaction, isn't it? He's absent cuz he's sick, right?"

"Maybe it's a serious illness?"

"Nah, something must've happened on their date in Kyoto."

Totsuka was only silence as they were whispering to each other. He noticed Kawasaki had an irritated expression with her fingers tapping and gritting her teeth the more she listened to their gossips. Hayama pulled out his signature fake smile when his friends approached him. Despite his constant worry for Hikigaya, there was honestly nothing he could do to help in such a situation beyond his world. He could only pray for the hero's safety and Sagami's well-being. Miura just stared at the door where the brown-haired girl exited earlier, wondering what the full picture of the current circumstance was until Ebina and Yuigahama interrupted her train of thought.

"Sagamin looks worse than yesterday," Ebina commented but with a little tone of worry and curiosity in her voice. "DId Hikitani's sickness got worse or something?"

"Man, I've been wondering about that too!" Tobe stepped in their conversation. "Maybe Sagamin felt guilty that she tired him out on their Kyoto date?"

"That probably could be it," Hayama agreed, pretending to not know about the true story behind Hikigaya's absence. "But then again, we've seen Hikitani-kun in bandages a lot."

"So you're saying he got into another fight? That's like, being a hooligan."

"Well, I don't know. Rumors are rumors so whatever it is, we can only hope for those two." Hayama's statement ended the topic and now they were talking about the usual mundane activities. Meanwhile, Totsuka and Kawasaki sat across each other in one desk, still talking about the "couple".

"Just what the hell is happening?" Kawasaki asked in frustration. "One day they were all happy and flirty and the next day things went upside down."

"I don't know," Totsuka shook his head, confused and worried about the whole situation. "There are no people in his house, right?"

"Yeah, Sagami and I visited the day after the trip and no one was there. Ever since then, it's just an empty home."

"Maybe he got sick so much, they have to put him in a hospital?"

"Maybe it's something only Sagami knows. I can tell she's hiding it."

Hiratsuka didn't bother to listen to any gossip since she had a more concerning issue to resolve. She grabbed all her books and papers and quickly walked out of the classroom in search of Sagami, hoping she wasn't too late before the brown-haired girl left the building. The noise and ramblings of students from other classes followed her ears until they faded away as she walked further. After climbing down the stairs, she finally saw Sagami walking in an empty hallway. Hiratsuka sighed in relief that she reached in time.

"Sagami!" Hiratsuka shouted which gained the brown-haired girl's attention as she turned around.

"Hiratsuka-sensei?" Sagami mumbled in an emotionless voice.

"Come with me to my office for a bit." The homeroom teacher pointed her thumb behind her. Sagami looked down, contemplating the request although her expression showed she wanted to refuse. Hiratsuka noticed that and so she slowly approached the girl and put a hand on her shoulder. "We need to talk. This is important for you."

"... okay." Sagami agreed and followed Hiratsuka upstairs and entered the faculty to the guidance counselors office. Hiratsuka sat on a soft chair while Sagami sat on a couch across from her. The homeroom teacher pulled out a small box of cigarettes and lit one with a lighter. She smoked for a moment to process all of her thoughts and coming up with the right words to say. Meanwhile, Sagami only looked down at the table without even blinking for a few seconds. She might as well memorize the tiniest details of the table and find at least a small form of amusement or a way to pass the time. Silence still emanated in the office. None bothered to speak until the other one did. Hiratsuka stared at the brown-haired girl's expression, analyzing how painful she felt after hearing such heartbreaking news. She inhaled the cigarette and released the smoke from her mouth as she crossed her legs and began to speak.

"I know it's hard for you to swallow the news," Her words made Sagami flinched for a second. Hiratsuka noticed that and so she continued. "But you shouldn't be cutting classes and stay depressed. Just pray that Hikigaya will be fine. No, that Hikigaya IS fine. So don't look so down, alright?"

"That's the same thing mom said a few days ago..." Sagami looked away from the table and clutched her skirt to resist any more tears from falling on her cheeks. However, she still couldn't resist producing a small drop of tears in her eyes. The least she could do was prevent them from falling. "Different words, same meaning, of course."

"Then you should take your mother's words to heart. People around you are worried. Do you want them to be hurt just from seeing you look like this?"

"... No... But I can't help it. Those thoughts keep coming back."

"What kind of thoughts? About whether or not you can still see him? If he's too hurt? That he died? Stop messing up yourself over those things when you don't have anything to answer those until the right time comes. Or so you want him to feel guilty and broken because you are like that?"

"Yes... I want him to," She answered with growing frustration. "I want him to know how I feel when he got hurt. I want him to feel so guilty, he'll have second thoughts on doing that stupid vigilante act. I want him to notice how hurt I am so he can only look at me. I... I..."

"That's some strong feelings you have there," Hiratsuka chuckled as she smoked the cigarette until she crushed it in the ashtray. "Keep that feeling inside you. When he shows up, give him all of that, but not like a weak idiot. It's even better to give that to someone you love when you're at your strongest."

"..." Sagami thought about her homeroom teacher's advice. It didn't exactly make all her worries disappeared but it did help her to some extent. She bowed her head and spoke. "Thank you for the words."

"No sweat it. Still feeling to skip classes?"

"Yes, I want more time to think... and rest."

"I see, that's fine. Just remember what I said, alright?"

"Yes. Thank you, Hiratsuka sensei." Sagami said her gratitude Hiratsuka with a smile that was a little forced. She stood up, grabbed her school bag, and exited the office. Hiratsuka didn't bother watching her leave as she listened to the sound of a door opening and closing while pulling out another cigarette.

"I sort of expect our conversation to last an hour or something," She thought while exhaling smoke out of her mouth. "No, I said everything she needs to hear and take heart. It's still gonna take time for her to be strong. I just hope you come back here give us your stupid grin before things get worse, Hikigaya."

* * *

Sagami rode a bus to go home. The bus was full of people of different ages and attire. Her eyes still didn't have light in them but it wasn't lifeless nor emotionless at the same time. She was just exhausted from all the dark thoughts in the past ten days. She never thought that thinking that way would result in exhaustion but then again, she cries several times both at home and secretly in school. So much so that she stopped putting light makeup to save the trouble of washing the ruined eyeliner. After about fifteen minutes, the bus reached the destination and she got out of the vehicle to continue her way home on foot. The walk was peaceful without encountering anyone as she reached her neighborhood. Sagami could see her house from a distance so she quickened the pace a little until she noticed a familiar woman opening the small gate of her home. The woman had long curly hair with the same hair color as her, wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and white skirt. In her left hand held two plastic bags of groceries that contained vegetables, bread, and other ingredients, and her right hand held a black purse.

"Minami?" The woman spoke and then smiled at the girl. "You're early. Come on, I'll cook you lunch."

"Okay, mom," Sagami complied. The mother opened the gate and let her daughter enter first. The house was empty since the father went to work while the two brothers attended their respective schools.

"You go to your bedroom and wait for me to finish cooking. I'll call you from downstairs."

"Okay," Sagami climbed the stairs and entered her bedroom. She quickly fell into bed on her back and stared at the ceiling, thinking of the words the homeroom teacher gave her to encourage herself.

_"It's even better to give that to someone you love when you're at your strongest"_

_"At my strongest, huh?"_ Sagami said in her mind and turned her body to the left. _"I think I should do that. Hachiman is strong so I doubt he's into weak girls. Yeah, Sensei was right in a way... Just shut up, Minami. Take this seriously. Or maybe not taking it seriously will make me have positive thoughts?_

Her mind wandered on the news she had watched once on the internet where it showed a picture of Hachiman in disguise was carried by a tall hooded man with a white face mask. The hero known as Isato had his face covered in blood his left arm appeared to be badly injured as if it had a severe fracture. She only saw the picture once but it was enough for her to memorize such a horrifying image. It was like an unforgettable nightmare but it was worse because it was real and not a fragment of a dream created by her consciousness. Her breathing became erratic from remembering that. She clutched her chest as her heart beat faster. She closed her eyes to remove those thoughts out of her mind and repeated Hiratsuka's words mentally. However, the more she resisted, the darker the thoughts became. She silently giggled at her own imagination. Minami never expected for her mind to go this deep, to imagine every negative scenario that terrified her. The soft laughter became silent sobs and then she went back and forth between the two actions as tears ran down from her eyes. She stopped when someone knocked on her door.

"Minami, can I come in?" It was the voice of her mother behind the door. Minami stared at the door for a moment before standing up and opening it for her mother to enter. The daughter sat in the bed with her mother beside her. The mother stretched her arms and began to speak first. "You're cutting classes again. Everything okay?"

"...No," Minami answered while rubbing her left arm.

"I see, well, it's kinda obvious so that was a dumb question. What else...?" The mother put a finger on her chin to think while Minami just stared down to her lap, not bothering to look at her. "Are you still worried about your boyfriend?"

"He's... not my boyfriend, but yeah."

"Wait, he's not?" The mother looked at her with widened eyes and covered her mouth with a hand. "I thought you two were already dating after that time you hang out at Isehara's sushi restaurant."

"That's what everyone thought in school and they still do, but we're seriously not dating yet."

"Hmmm...? Yet, huh?" The mother smirked when she heard that word and that made Minami blushed slightly. "You must really love him. After all, normal people would be shocked and worried but just lived their days as if nothing happened because there was nothing they could do. It's a problem that's beyond what they can do. But you, even though you don't have anything to help, is heartbroken and depressed. I'm so proud."

"That is the weirdest and most confusing compliment you've given me." Minami said as she stared at her mother with a raised eyebrow. Anyone would be confused by being praised for anxiety.

"I know. I'm not proud that you're depressed, I'm proud that you love someone so deeply, it hurts you when you heard that news."

"That's still weird," The daughter looked away to hide her embarrassed expression as her cheeks became redder.

"And that's why... your best ability is to wait," The mother's tone in her voice changed from a lightly teasing tone to a serious heartwarming one. Minami turned back to her and saw her smile as she gave her a head pat. "Do you know what a housewife's special skill is? It's the skill to wait for her husband to come back home from a day of hard work. You know your father goes on business trips, right? Years ago when we were still newlyweds, he told me he was going on his very first one-week business trip to Okinawa. I thought it would be fine but I suddenly remembered that co-worker who I totally knew she got the hots for him. I was worried she would make moves on my man and he would cheat on me, so I did something to make sure that he's mine and mine alone."

"What did you do?"

"I pushed him in bed and gave him the best night ever." The mother giggled while putting both hands on her cheeks just from the memory of that. Minami's face was pure red and emitted steam from that statement. Just when the daughter thought she could recover from it, her mother continued. "I still remember that to this day. His flustered face when I jumped on top of him, the way I unzipped his pants with my mouth. I still have that nightgown I wore and just from wearing that got me aroused a little. Oh! You can have the gown so when your boyfriend gets back, yo-"

"I don't need that mom! And he's not my boyfriend!" Minami shouted as she grabbed a pillow and hit her in the face repeatedly. Her mother raised both hands to guard against her attacks while still giggling and remembering that night she did with her husband.

"Ahaha, you're so cute! Look at your red face."

"Shut up!" The daughter gave her one last strong hit in the head with a pillow and threw it aiming to her face in which the mother caught the pillow in time.

"Are you relaxed now?" The mother asked while wiping a tear on the corner of her eye from laughing.

"No! Instead of being depressed, I'm feeling awkward from the stupid things you said!"

"Awkward? Oh, are you are arou-"

"MOM!"

"It's fine to think like that, sweetie. I had my first time when I was your age and my partner was the princi-"

STOP! I GET IT! OKAY!?" Minami shouted even louder and then there was silence. She breathed heavily from shouting while the mother covered her mouth to contain any further laughter and composed herself.

"So, what I'm getting at is before the man you love leaves your sight, you need to mark him as yours permanently. And it doesn't have to be sex if that's what you're thinking," The mother winked and her statement made Minami buried her face in a pillow. "Didn't you have a date with him during your Kyoto trip?"

"Yeah,"

"Did you do anything special with him?"

"Not... really?" The daughter thought about the date along with the entire trip. She and Hikigaya didn't exactly do anything special such as confessing their feelings for each other or anything beyond that. However, it felt like it was the best days she had with him. The reason was that they weren't normal. They didn't abide by the social norms and adapted to them differently. It all came down to the fact that Hikigaya was her hero and a completely new direction opened for the two teenagers. They were two unordinary high school students that went through a possible traumatic event and were able to see the light. Then there was her declaration of friendship that night in Kyoto. Now that she looked back at that time, it was probably the most special moment between her and the hero. Although Minami was still frustrated by how he confessed his wish to become just friends to her, that moment formed an even stronger bond than any friends and normal acquaintances. It was safe to assume for her that she had already established a special mark in his heart. After a few more moments of thinking, Minami nodded to herself and the mother took that as a yes.

"Then that means you can learn a certain amazing skill every housewife has."

"An amazing skill? What is it?" Minami asked in pure curiosity and the mother smiled.

"It's called 'Homemade Patience. A housewife is able to wait for her husband after he finishes a long day at work or going home from a tiresome business trip. Once the husband goes inside the house, the wife gives him the prettiest smile and says, 'Welcome home!'."

"So in other words, it's waiting?" Minami asked with a raised eyebrow. She expected something extraordinary and something only mature adults could do, so she was a little disappointed by her mother's reveal but still kept her interest in this.

"Well, yeah, basically. Life as a housewife isn't really that easy, you know? When your big brother was still one month old, I was struggling. Doing all the chores, tending his needs like milk and lullabies, and thinking about some other things. Dear, I can still remember how much of a crybaby he was. I knew little about taking care of babies back then, so I was this close to snap. But he looked reeaaalllyyy cute so I held in the stress and bear with it until your father comes back. And when he came home, he was too tired for him to be all lovey-dovey with me because of work and I almost felt like we became distant. That's how hard my life was."

"I... didn't know."

"Well, neither did your two brothers so it's fine. Anyway, one day, I visited his workplace for the first time, and guess what, it looked as dull as every office building you could expect. During that visit, I realized that he was just as tired and stressed out as I was, and yet he still worked hard. That's when it hit me.

It was so obvious that I forgot about the basic principles of a married couple. His duty is to provide us things to support our needs while my duty is to make this house as happily warm and welcome."

"That isn't the same as my situation with Hachiman."

"But it does. There are those housewives out there who are married to police and soldiers. Think about how worried they are every time their husbands leave to do their job which is dangerous and could get themselves killed. But all they can do is wait. Wait for how long whether it's weeks, months, or years until they get back home. The best wives are the ones who can turn homes into a sacred sanctuary for the family."

"I see..." Minami looked at her in awe. Her statement truly made a point. On the surface, it was the same advice that Hiratsuka gave her, but the true feeling behind it from someone who had experienced that and the clarity of this current action's value was what made Hanabi a true mother. Taking the words from both Hiratsuka and Hanabi in her heart, Minami stood up and faced her mother with a smile. "Thanks, mom."

"It was nothing, dear," The mother responded with a smile of her own and stood up to hug her daughter. She then realized something and separated herself from Minami. "Oh! I almost forgot to tell you one crucial thing about my special skill."

"What's that?"

"To make it more effective, you need to say 'would you like dinner? A bath? Or maybe-"

"MOM!"

"Ahahaha! Feel better now?"

"Yeah... a little,"

"Good, now let's go downstairs and eat. Lunch should be ready by now."

"Okay," Both mother and daughter exited the bedroom and went downstairs. Minami truly felt more at ease after their conversation though not without a hint of embarrassment from her mother's... mature story. Minami sat down next to the dining table while Hanabi stirred the stew with a wooden spoon one last time before serving it in a bowl and put it at the center of the table. The food was a simple zosui (or ojiya), a mild and thin Japanese rice soup akin to a rice-based vegetable soup. It was made from pre-cooked rice and water seasoned with miso and the daughter could see the cooked meat, mushrooms, and vegetables. Minami could already tell from the aroma that her mother cooked it differently from a normal zosui. Just one spoonful and she already enjoyed the taste.

"How is it?" Hanabi asked her daughter while eating.

"It's great but why ojiya? It's not winter yet."

"It's almost winter so it counts."

They spent the rest of the day for a mother and daughter bonding with activities such as doing household chores and watching television together to watch whatever was interesting for them. After that, Hanabi taught Minami more things about cooking since she saw her practiced once at that one weekend. At first, Minami struggled with a few of the recipes her mother recommended, but she accomplished most of them with decent results that still needed improvement. All of her thoughts on Hachiman's predicament as a result of their activities and both mother's and homeroom teacher's advice on the matter. All she had to do was hope for the best and wait.

_"Why am I even like this? I saw how he can kick ass so he's gotta be alright from whatever injuries he has, right? But... Maybe I need to do something while waiting for him... something that would surprise him... Should I cook him a welcome home meal or something? No, no, no, t-that's too embarrassing. But then again..."_ While the young girl was thinking of plans, Hanabi watched her in though lt as she was glad her daughter was back to normal again. However, some other thoughts came into the mother's mind.

_"Isato-kun, you hold a special place in my daughter's heart. Personally, I want you to keep as far away from her as possible because you might endanger her from you doing those reckless acts. But you made her become a different person every time she kept mentioning you in conversations, so I want you to be there for her. Live and come back when it's right. If you don't, I won't forgive you for hurting my daughter."_

And so aside from the absence of Hikigaya, everything was slowly returning to its normal state. **The next day**, Sagami greeted Totsuka and Kawasaki with a smile which surprised them along with the entire class that some hid their expressions and pretended to be busy at something. Totsuka was glad she was in her cheerful behavior while Kawasaki looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze. The slivery blue-haired girl still suspected she was hiding something and it could be related to Hikigaya. She wanted to ponder Sagami about it but decided to hold it in for the right time. Hiratsuka entered the room and noticed the brown-haired girl's cheerful expression and was glad that her words reached the student. However, the homeroom teacher wore a sad expression for a moment before starting class. While writing on the blackboard, her mind wandered elsewhere.

_"Things are getting weirder and weirder. What the hell is going on your end, Hikigaya."_ She gritted her teeth as she thought about that until she resumed writing on the blackboard to avoid suspicion. "What the hell do you mean by 'dropping out of this school'!"

And so,** another day had passed**, and Hikigaya's seat was still empty, but the day went by without anything unusual happening. Sagami maintained her cheery self and her two friends acted the same as usual. Although, she did felt something g was off about Kawasaki but shrugged it off for now. What she couldn't ignore was Hiratsuka's angry expression when she passed her by in the hallway. The teacher looked truly enraged and if Sagami wasn't mistaken, there was a hint of sadness in her expression as well. She wondered what made Hiratsuka formed such an expression and then speculated that it could be related to Hikigaya. Did something happen to him? What if it's not him she was angry about? These were the questions that raised the doubts and worries back on the surface for a moment. However, she was able to shook it off of her mind and focused on the daily activities.

_"It could be something about her work or something. Stop overthinking things."_ She thought as she went to bed and slept early but not without sending a text to Hikigaya, hoping he would respond.

**The next day**, Everything was the same usual but that didn't mean everyone was the same. Totsuka's and Kawasaki's worries on the hero's whereabouts grew in each passing time. Sagami had the same feeling but tried not to show it in her expressions and maintained a cheerful and normal atmosphere. Meanwhile, a student council president election was announced and all students wondered who could fit such a heavy role in the school. Some guessed Hayama would be the perfect candidate because everyone liked him since he was kind, attractive, athletic (even though that's not exactly part of a president's job), and smart. Others preferred Yukinoshita because she was smarter than Hayama or in fact, the smartest in the entire school. Not to mention, the number of people she had helped in the Service Club. A few of the people who suggested her were the same people that witnessed the Ice Queen's display of leadership at the cultural festival.

But, Minami didn't care much for the election, including her friends. Although, she was skeptical of the other candidate running for student council presidency.

_"Isshiki Iroha?"_ She thought while looking at social media on her phone. _"Isn't she that kohai Hiratsuka-sensei talked about? The girl Hachiman saved in the convenience store incident? She's a lot studious than I thought."_

The bell rang and all classmates went back to their seats when a male teacher entered the classroom. Hours went by and school ended without anything interesting happened. The brown-haired girl looked at her text messages to see if the hero replied but unfortunately, none so far. Not even a mark that would indicate that he read any of her sighed and put her phone back to her skirt pocket as she grabbed her school bag to go home. She then felt like someone was looking at her and so she turned around to see Kawasaki giving her an odd stare. It was only a split second before she turned her gaze elsewhere, but Sagami still noticed it.

_"What was that all about?"_ She shrugged her shoulders and continued her way home with nothing to worry except for Hikigaya's circumstance.

And then, **the next three days came by **and things were turning downhill from here. Hayama had been spacing out a lot that bothered his clique and so they asked what was wrong, only for him to lie that he was fine and that he was thinking about the election. In truth, he had been keeping up with the news from the television broadcast to every news site on the internet in search of a single clue about Hikigaya. Frustratingly for him, he found none. All he ever found was news about a slight increase in criminal activity and possibilities that foreign mafia came to Japan. Hayama would still check the news until he found even the slightest hint of his presence, but the frustration was giving him difficulties in maintaining the signature fake smile.

_"Not to mention, Haruno-san keeps pestering me for info on Hikigaya-kun. Knowing her, she'll find out eventually on her own so I'll worry about that in time as long as she didn't bother me too much." _Hayama said in his mind before the bell rang to indicate the start of the first class. Kawasaki's worries grew as Hikigaya's absence went longer. She went to his house multiple times to see if anyone arrived but all she saw was the empty darkness in the windows. The silvery blue-haired girl had only one clue of what was truly going on, and that clue was in her friend, Sagami who was secretly looking at her phone underneath the desk. Everyone went back to their seats as Hiratsuka-sensei entered the room with a stifled yawn while carrying papers.

"Alright class, attendance time." They were all silent as she called out names in alphabetical order though some were whispering about whatever topic they think was interesting, including the "Isato" situation. The attendance call was normal until something odd occurred. After calling out another classmate's name, Hiratsuka skipped Hikigaya and called the next one. A few people noticed that but it wasn't their concern and so they shrugged it off as either a mistake or the homeroom teacher didn't bother since she already he was absent. The four students who were genuinely concerned for the hero's wellbeing looked at the teacher in shock. Before anyone of them could raise their hands to ask, someone beat them to it. Tobe raised his hand and received Hiratsuka's attention. "What is it, Tobe?"

"Uhh... You forgot to call Hikitani-kun. I mean, he's absent but still, y'know?" Tobe said with an unnecessarily loud voice. Hiratsuka stared at the orange-haired boy for a few seconds and then sighed.

"Hikigaya dropped out of school so he's not a classmate here anymore." The homeroom teacher's revelation caused everyone to whisper among themselves loudly, wondering, and speculating what could have happened to the former loner of the class. Sagami lost her grip on her cellphone and it fell on the floor. All her hopes and strength built from her mother and teacher's words were completely broken down in an instant from hearing that one sentence. Some classmates, including Kawasaki, Totsuka, Hayama, Miura, Tobe, and Ebina, turned towards the brown-haired girl because they all knew that she would be hurt the most of this revelation. Sagami just stared down at her cellphone that was on the floor. It was a moment of despair but it faded away immediately as she took one deep breath and picked up the phone. No one could read her expression because of her bangs covering her eyes but they guessed that she was devastated. Class resumes and hours went by. It was now lunchtime and Sagami was just walking in the hallways to reach a vending machine nearby. After inserting a coin in the machine and pressed a button, She heard footsteps and saw Hiratsuka stood with a serious expression.

"Do you have time? I wanna talk." She asked her with both hands in the lab coat pocket.

"Yes," Sagami answered and grabbed the can in the machine when she heard it fell. She followed the homeroom teacher all the say to the faculty and once again, sat across each other face-to-face in her office. Hiratsuka didn't pull out a cigarette this time because she needed all of her concentration to this girl. However, she noticed something odd about the brown-haired girl as her expression didn't show any sign of despair, anxiety nor any negative emotions as a reaction to Hikigaya dropping out of school. Hiratsuka raised an eyebrow in confusion to Sagami's current state.

"Sagami?"

"Yes?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Pretty devastated."

"Eh?" Sagami's answer surprised the homeroom teacher because of how contradicting her expression was to her answer. "You... don't look like it. You seem rather calm about this."

"I was scared that I might not see him again, but what I was scared the most is if he died from that incident," Sagami smiled at the teacher and chuckled lightly. "I'm glad that he's alright."

"...wow," Hiratsuka couldn't help but be amazed at her way of thinking. Normally, a person would be shocked to find out about his/her loved ones moving far away without telling anyone. The person wouldn't know where those loved ones went nor when would he/she be able to meet them again. Even if the probability of death was the largest concern, it would still be difficult for someone to accept the fact of being distant from each other. Yet, here she was, just smiling as if she was satisfied with the news. It was as if her prayers had truly been answered. The homeroom teacher chuckled until she couldn't resist releasing a burst of loud laughter. Sagami was surprised by the sudden laughter until she chuckled along as she knew the reason for the reaction. After a few seconds, Hiratsuka finally calmed down and coughed lightly to regain her composure. "Ah, Ahem. You're really something. And I thought you needed more counseling to help your mind a little."

"Ahaha, well, I might need it later on. I've been sending texts to Hachiman and I still didn't get a reply. Not even from his sister. I mean, I know they're taking time to rest from everything, but if I don't get even an emoji from him..."

"It's alright. You can lean on to your parents, brothers, me and your friends. Speaking of which, those two might find out sooner or later."

"Yes, but I'll let time do the work. I can't just say 'hey, Hachiman is that vigilante you see in the news! So he's probably in the hospital getting treatment from all those injuries!', can I?"

"Well, it's up to you to decide when you will tell them. They have the right to know. So, how's your-" Before Hiratsuka could engage in a conversation with her, Sagami's phone made a sound that indicated a notification of sorts. The brown-haired girl looked at the screen and her eyes widened at what it was.

Message from: ~~ Hachi ~~

_"Hey, are you alone right now?"_

"Hachiman?!"

"What?!" Hiratsuka shouted with the same level of bewilderment. Sagami showed her the screen with the notification. "Come on, reply!"

"I know, I know!" Sagami unlocked her phone and texted quickly. She texted that she was with Hiratsuka, talking, and worrying about him. Once she sent the message, he already replied.

[12:15] ~~ Hachi ~~: We need to talk on call, privately. Just the two of us.

"Bullshit. Call him," The homeroom teacher who quietly approached Sagami to read their text conversation, said while glaring at the phone.

"Uhh, t-this could be something that's just for the two of us. Y'know, maybe something we-"

"Sagami, Lemme tell you something," Hiratsuka clenched her right hand into a fist and slowly moved it in front of the brown-haired girl's face while giving her a menacing glare. "My fist isn't limited to just men. Got that?"

"Yes," WIthout hesitation, Sagami answered immediately and complied with her threats. After dialing Hachiman's phone number and listening to a few beeping sounds, Hikigaya finally answered.

"Minami?"

"H-Hey, Hachiman. How are-"

"You little dead-eyes dumbass!" Hiratsuka took the cellphone from Sagami's grasp and shouted suddenly. "Who do you think you are?! Texting your girl to have a private call after that whole shit on the last night of the Kyoto trip and THEN, being absent for almost two weeks! You really got some balls, I give you that. Now, tell me everything that happened or so help me, I'm gonna find you and when I do, the first thing I'll do is sink my fist right in your fucking face!"

She breathed after finishing her threats as Sagami could only watch he tantrum, unable to intervene even if the teacher was done speaking. A few seconds had passed and he finally responded.

"I texted 'privately, just the two of us', Minami." Both teacher and student could hear a sigh on the phone.

"S-sorry, I can't do anything against her," Minami apologized while bowing her head.

"It's fine, I believe Hiratsuka-sensei deserves to know."

"Good. Now spill, I'm literally running out of patience," Hiratsuka repeatedly tapped her toe on the floor and gritted her teeth to express her impatience and anger. "Are you alright over there? Where are you now? A hospital? What the hell did you do that night?"

"Okay, hold on. One at a time." There was a moment of silence on the other side of the call. The teacher and student faintly heard a few odd things on the other side such as a rhythmic beeping sound and the sound of air or steam. They already guessed he was in a hospital and before they could talk to each other, Hachiman spoke. "I'm only going to answer the question of where I am right now. I'm still in Kyoto recovering from injuries."

"And you're not gonna explain the whole 'drug dealer hunt' I kept hearing on the news?" Hiratsuka asked while trying her best to control her temper.

"It's basically as it sounds. I... sort of just got dragged in i-"

"'Dragged in'? You went to almost every place in Kyoto," Minami said with doubts in her voice. This time it was her turn to resist her anger towards Hachiman and his vague explanation. "And then there you are, in a hospital. It's okay to tell us. Or just me is enough."

"I want to, but I can't. Not now nor anytime soon."

"Can we still see each other again?" She asked with a hint of desperation in her voice. From his explanation, Hiratsuka and Minami could tell that his circumstances may be deeper than just a simple medical treatment after a night of reckless vigilantism. The question was only answered with silence. The brown-haired girl's hopes of seeing him again began to falter as each second passed in silence. The homeroom teacher put a hand on Minami's shoulder with an expression of sympathy while wondering what truly happened to her favored student to make him unable to reveal anything. Was it shame that prevented him? Or did his parents ordered him? Was it both? These possibilities were high but in the end, Hachiman held the true answer. Minami's eyes started watering but she held back the tears and spoke. "Hachiman?..."

"We will... I just don't know when. We can still text and call each other like this, but we won't meet each other long."

"Then, I'll wait."

"What?"

"I said I'll wait for you. Days, months, or years, I'll wait as long as I can."

"Don't be ridiculous, just focus on your own life while I deal with mine."

"No, you made me worry for weeks and now you're telling me to forget about you?"

"That's not what I-"

"Well, forget it! You know what they say, 'No crimes are left unpunished'. Your crime is leaving a heartbroken maiden alone because you're busy at work. If you keep me waiting any longer, I'm gonna have to find you and make your punishment even worse. So be sure to get back here so I can give you the best welcome ever!" Minami let out all of her breath to shout after standing up and shakingly holding the cellphone with both hands. Hiratsuka was startled at her loud declaration and released a sigh from her outburst. They also heard a sigh from the other side of the phone and could have sworn a light pat. He must have facepalmed.

"You make it sound like you're my wife," He commented with indifference, and that statement made Minami blushed and stuttered.

"W-Wife? Y-Yeah, that d-does sound l-like I'm preparing for dinner for you. A-And I really am waiting for you, y-y'know? I mean, I COULD make a feast to celebrate you coming back so i-if you want, I'll practice cooking hard so that you'll eat the b-best food ever and-"

"Okay, okay, I got it. I'll make sure to come back as soon as possible," He said with a deadpan tone but the homeroom teacher and the brown-haired girl couldn't see from the other side that he was smiling and while looking outside the window of his hospital room. He heard the voices of people talking outside of his door and made a serious expression because he was familiar with some of them. "The doctor's here. I need to go."

"Eh? Okay, then I guess it's goodbye." Minami said with a sad expression and Hiratsuka gave her a head pat. Before Hachiman hung up the call, he said a few more words.

"I'm expecting great food when I get back. It'll be even better since it's free food." And the call ended just like that. Hiratsuka shook her head at his statement as she was glad there was still a hint of his normal self. Minami couldn't stop the big smile on her face from growing, but she was so happy and determined that she tried her best to resist screaming in joy.

"Well, I guess that sort of settles it but still have a lot of questions," The homeroom teacher scratched the back of her head and finally pulled out a cigarette. "So what are you gonna do now?"

"Just like I said before, I'll wait."

"Is that so? Then there's not much to worry about." The bell rang, indicating the end of the school lunch break. Minami said goodbye and quickly ran out of the faculty room. She was so ecstatic that school ended in a flash with her friends worried about why she wasn't paying attention throughout all classes. The brown-haired girl finally exited the school building and suddenly had a thought. After holding her chin and nodding to herself, she ran out of the entrance and went to a direction away from her home. She then rode a bus with many people inside and after a few minutes, she went out of the vehicle and ran into a familiar neighborhood while accidentally bumping into people and bowing to apologize. She stopped as she reached the supposed Hikigaya household, but there was something strange. The place was still empty as usual, but the nameplate was removed.

"Hello," An old female voice surprised Minami and turned around to see the source. An old lady with a small plastic bag and a cane approached her with slow and shaky movements. "Are you here for the family living here?"

"Y-Yes."

"I'm sorry but they may have moved away."

"Moved away?"

"Yes, earlier this morning, two trucks appeared in front of this house with movers carrying boxes. The husband and wife were also there carrying boxes and putting them at the back of those trucks, but there's something odd about them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they seemed to be in a hurry and they have this panicked look on their faces. It's like they're in serious trouble." Minami thought about the old lady's explanation. Just as when she clung into the idea of Hachiman not involved in serious circumstances, this sudden moving out of the house gave her more questions and doubts. The old lady looked at the house for a moment before turning around and walked away. "I'm sorry that you didn't hear about this. I need to go now and cook some dinner."

"Oh, yes. Thank you," Minami bowed to her in appreciation for giving information. While watching the old lady walking away, her mind wandered. _"What is going on, Hachiman? Things are getting even more complicated and scary. You'll come back to us, right? We're all waiting."_

And she truly waited as time passed with hopes and worries carried inside her mind. She asked her mother to teach more cooking, focused her studying more than usual, and texted Hachiman with every chance and time she had. Sometimes, he wouldn't answer her calls because he was 'busy' but he didn't give her more details about it. Even though there were still questions regarding his current state, she still enjoyed interacting with him on the phone. Then there was that one time she was so engrossed in her phone, she got in trouble by a teacher for doing it in the middle of a lecture. Minami would often come to his former house to see if he came back with his family or not until someone else moved in and bought the house. It was disheartening, but she still held a firm resolve as she slowly adapted to this new daily routine. She also tried texting Komachi to see if his little sister could reply. Fortunately and surprisingly, she did and very quickly as well. When they talked on the call, Minami noticed how normal Komachi was despite what had happened to her older brother. She found it strange but kept an optimistic view of this as a sign that everything was fine on his side. As for the others, she told them that there was nothing to worry about while showing them the text conversations she had with the hero. Everyone was pleased to know his wellbeing except for two people: Hayama and Kawasaki. The Prince of Sobu High was skeptical of this. Questions kept forming in his mind but no matter how much he thought about them, the answers would not appear. Kawasaki had the same thought but more towards Sagami since she still didn't know anything such as his identity and the past few incidents of vigilantism. However, she shook her mind off of it and just focused on the positive note of this news. That Hikigaya was doing well and the gs could get better. She watched as Sagami was being teased by classmates for texting her "boyfriend" and even joked about sending each other nudes for them to take the next step into their relationship which made both the brown-haired girl and other female students blush. Kawasaki and Totsuka tried texting and calling Hikigaya multiple times but he didn't answer nor reply. He seemed to only talk to Sagami which made them wondered why just her. With questions, worries, confusion, and skepticism grew, many things changed as time passed even further.

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And so, **Two and a half months had passed.**

* * *

It was dark with only the moon illuminating it from the window and silence was only present in the air. The room consisted of broken furniture and shattered glasses everywhere. Parts of the walls were cracked, had gunshot holes and blood. On the floor were unconscious men wearing suits with some appeared to have broken limbs and their faces full of bruises. There appeared to be broken teeth scattered on the floor and drips of blood on the floor as well, and weapons such as knives and pistols. Behind a wooden door, the sounds of gun firing and screaming echoed. It was suddenly opened by a man wearing a black hoodie and brown pants. His face was sweating and had a fearful expression, and his breath was erratic from running and the fear overwhelming his mind. He closed the door and pointed the gun at it, anticipating the enemy.

"D-Damn it! This is not part of the deal!" The man mumbled with his shaky voice and turned around to see all the unconscious men on the floor. He flinched in shock from seeing that and made his situation even worse for his mental state. The man heard muffled footsteps outside the door and so he held the gun with both hands to keep his aim still as hard as he could. Footsteps became louder and louder Indicating that the enemy was getting closer as each step multiplied his anxiety. The doorknob twisted slowly that it felt like hours had passed for him until the door slightly opened. A light came through the door and everything was silent. The man could only hear his heartbeat and breath and just stared at the door with widened eyes, not even blinking as if even closing his eyes for a millisecond, the enemy would take him out quickly. Every second, the suspense and anxiety grew and his grip on the gun shook even more. The moment the door pushed open, he fired only to hit nothing but the wall because the enemy crouched while opening it. In a matter of seconds, the enemy ran with a katana while bending low to avoid the panicked shots, and cut the barrel of the gun in half. He then pointed the blade at the man's face with intense focus in his eyes staring at the widened, terrified ones.

The person with the katana had long black hair tied to a ponytail and wore a sharp black suit and a white collared buttoned-up shirt. The man in a hooded jacket let go of the severed gun and raised both hands as a sign of surrender.

"I-I give up! Please don't kill me!" He begged with full desperation while crying.

"You're the one who's trespassing our territory so don't blame me for this." The man with the katana raised the weapon and attempted to cut him down, only to be stopped by someone grabbing his wrist. He looked to his left side to see a black-haired man wearing the same attire as him with bandages wrapped around his forehead and left hand, and a scar on his left cheek. His right hand had scars and holding a brass knuckle covered in blood.

"Stop, killing him won't do any good," The man with the brass knuckle spoke with indifference.

"Hah? What the hell are you on about? Our mission is to kill this fucker for trying to set up a drug business here. You want him to live?"

"And the reason why we should let him live is because of that. Of all the places he could go, he had to pick a place ruled by the most powerful yakuza group."

"Shouldn't we say that he's too stupid to know that?"

"No. The way I see it, this guy knows about us. Our organization made a huge impact in the criminal underworld and you telling me he still didn't get an air about us? Too suspicious."

"That's where you're basing off? That's just pure bullshit with no evidence!"

"Then let's get one from him." He said as he pointed a thumb at the frightened individual. "You will answer all our questions, right? Because if you don't, well, this guy will have his way."

The scared man then looked back at the Yakuza member who was looking closely at his blade and then glared which made him flinched.

"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you everything so please!" After a full explanation from the unfortunate criminal, the two yakuza members exited the room but not without knocking him unconscious. They were now walking in the hallway silently with the katana-wielding member glared at his partner.

"You're such a coward. What? Too much of a wuss to see guts spilling out or some shit?"

"No. I'm just thinking outside the box sometimes."

"Oh, fuck off."

"What are you upset about? We extracted important info from him that will surely benefit us."

"And then let him live! Since he doesn't have any uses for us, we should've killed him."

"And not make better use of him to us? Just think of the other way for once."

"Tch, I really hate you for a newcomer. I'm supposed to be the youngest yakuza member of this generation but you just have to show up."

"How am I supposed to know that you joined this organization? It's not like I'm keeping tabs on you or something."

"Whatever, but let me make this shit clear. I'm the youngest OFFICIAL member while you're still just a newbie in these parts. Got that? So not only that, I'm your senior so show some fucking respect."

"Just calm down, will you? You'll get the 'youngest official member' title one hundred percent. After all, I won't stay here long."

"Ah yeah? Tell me more abou-" Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a hand breaking through a wall and grabbed the "newbie" by the neck. The person walked through the wall as if it was only made of cardboard and revealed himself to be a 7 feet tall foreign man wearing a dark brown coat and matching fedora.

The tall enemy planned to strangle him to death but the newbie punched his wrist with the brass knuckle two times to make the tall enemy break his grip and escape. The newbie ducked to evade his other hand from grabbing him again by the neck and the katana wielder swung its blade but the tall enemy caught it with his right bare hand. The yakuza member tried to pull the katana out of his grasp but this foreign opponent was stronger than him. The newbie punched the enemy's groin with the brass knuckle in order to loosen his grip but instead, he flinched in pain and gritted his teeth for a moment to resist it, and then forcefully took the weapon from the wielder's hands. The tall foreigner thrust a kick on the long-haired man's abdomen which pushed him into a wall. Now stolen the katana, he swung it down with his left hand towards the next target, and the moment he did that, the newbie moved forward instead of stepping back or duck to evade. Using the force of the foreigner's swing, he did a right uppercut his left wrist which caused the opponent to feel excruciating pain and make his left hand feel numb. The katana was dropped and the newbie caught it before it touched the floor and thrust it at the foreigner's right thigh.

However, it didn't pierce flesh and instead, scraped it and the tall enemy used that opportunity to do a successful left back fist on his cheek. The young yakuza blocked it in time. However, he tumbled away from the force of that attack but managed to get back up and saw his partner getting back the weapon snd fought with it. The foreigner tried to punch him in the face but the katana wielder moved his body to the side to evade and then sliced the opponent's right side. The cut appeared to be severe as blood came down from it that stained the coat and dripped down to the floor. The long-haired yakuza continued as he attempted to stab him from behind, but the foreigner turned his body sideways to dodged and with the momentum, did a left back fist that hit the back of the yakuza member's head. The newbie charged with both fists close to the sides of his face as if he was a boxer. The tall enemy noticed him and so he prepared a strong right jab at his face. In response, the young yakuza member prepared his own right punch, and both quickly attacked. He slightly leaned to his right and hit the foreigner's right wrist when the attack came close by inches which made his arm flung back. The tall enemy felt pain once again in his wrist but didn't stop attacking the newbie, hoping he would land a single punch. Unfortunately for him, the man in bandages defended himself by punching his wrists every time he threw those punches. It came to the point where the foreigner couldn't use his hands for a while and so he tried to swing a left kick aiming at the head only to meet the same results as the newbie did a straight jab at the ankle joints, fracturing his left ankle in the process.

"Ty khorosh dlya malen'kogo rebonka." The foreigner spoke but in a language, both yakuza members couldn't understand.

"What language is that?" The newbie asked.

"I think that's Russian." The long-haired yakuza guessed while standing up and grabbed the katana.

"How can you tell?"

"Well, if you use the internet deep enough, you learn the weirdest things," He answered with a chuckle and went back to glare at the tall man with a serious expression. "Are you from the Barbaros Syndicate?"

"YA ne ponimayu tvoyego yazyka, no znayu, chto tebe interesno, kto poslal menya ili s kem ya rabotayu, sudya po tvoim vyrazheniyam. _(I do not understand your language, but I know that you are wondering who sent me or who I am working with, judging by your expressions.),_" The Russian spoke even though they couldn't understand. He raised both fists and posed an upright stance at the young yakuza member. "Eto yedinstvennyy sposob otvetit' na vashi voprosy. Ponimayesh'? _(This is the only way to answer your questions. Do you understand?)_."

"I'm guessing his business involves killing us," The newbie posed his own upright stance and stared at his tall opponent with focus. Both stood still, waiting for the other to move or any kind of sign that would initiate a fight. Meanwhile, the katana wielder looked irritated at the enemy as his grip on the weapon tightened so much it shook. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he glared the foreigner's back and to the newbie

"Oi! You ignoring me you gaijin fucker?! Why is he facing you?!"

"I don't know. My punches must've left a good impression on him."

"Impression, my ass!" The long-haired yakuza pointed the blade at the foreigner's back and joined in on waiting for the fight to begin. A drop of sweat ran down the newbie's cheek and the moment it dropped on the floor, they all moved. As expected, the tall enemy focused on the young yakuza while ignoring the katana wielder.

"Don't ignore me or I'll cut you!" The long-haired yakuza shouted while running towards them. The Russian threw a right jab aiming for the newbie's left temple, but the newbie ducked in time and left punched the cut injury on his right side. The Russian screamed in pain before throwing another punch in the face which the young yakuza could only block it and got pushed into a wall. The katana wielder aimed to stab his back once again, only to be evaded by turning his body to the right. The Russian attempted to hit him with a right back fist and the long-haired yakuza ducked and swung the blade to his right thigh as blood splattered on the wall. He then attempted to stab his abdomen, but the tall foreigner blocked it with his right arm. The blade pierced through his arm and moved it to the side to grab the yakuza's neck with the left hand. The long-haired yakuza struggled to break free until the newbie punched the Russian's cut injury on the right side with a brass knuckle. The tall foreigner gritted his teeth to resist the pain but that made his grip on his target weakened as the katana wielder escaped and jumped to slice his neck. The Russian bent backward to avoid the blade from even touching his neck. The young yakuza right punched the same spot again which made the tall foreigner falter.

"Gghh!" The Russian grunted as his vision blurred because of how much blood he lost from those cuts and then the stab wound on his left forearm. The newbie finished him off by jumping to punch his face with the brass knuckle. The tall foreigner fell on the floor with his back, unconscious as blood dripped down. The two yakuza members breathe heavily from the exhaustion of the fight and stared at each other for a moment until the long-haired yakuza swung his katana in the air to wipe away the blood in his blade. The newbie took off the Russian's black coat and ripped it apart into long pieces of fabric to use them as bandages but they were not for him, but his enemy. His partner witnessed his act of kindness and scoffed.

"You have to be fucking kidding me..." He mumbled in anger and grabbed the newbie by the collar of his shirt. "I'm sick and tired of you playing the good guy here. Does the word 'yakuza' not part of your fucking vocabulary or something?! Stop acting nice to these bastards!"

"We need him alive for interrogation. If he's from the Barbaros Syndicate like you said, then this is an even bigger problem than what we've imagined."

"Ugh, I hate when you make a fucking point," The katana wielder let go of him and grabbed the Russian's left arm after his partner finished wrapping the makeshift bandages on his injuries. "Well, come on. Let's get him out and drop him in our car."

"Do you think he can fit in that vehicle?" The newbie asked while grabbing the foreigner's right arm and they both dragged him in the hallway.

"We can figure it out. More importantly, we got a week left till Christmas. Got any plans?"

"And why are you curious about what I'll be doing at Christmas?"

"Don't get me wrong, dumbass. I just want you to let me know if you're going out of town or whatever so I can find a substitute before the boss picks one for me. Sometimes, he doesn't give me a professional or some shit."

"So you consider me as professional? I'm kinda flattered."

"That's not what I meant, you fuckin-" The moment he pointed the katana at the newbie, a cellphone vibrated in the young yakuza's pocket. The newbie pulled it out to see what it was and the long-haired yakuza smirked when he looked at the screen. "Your girlfriend? Ya gonna have some fun time on Christmas night?"

"That's not it, you-"

"Damn, you're one hell of a man for someone so young. Better step my game up and find the best hooker in the city."

"Since when did we have that kind of competition? Again, she's not my girlfriend and to answer your question, no I don't have any plans for Christmas."

"She's not your girlfriend even though you were texting each other a lot? Is it a long-distance relationship?"

"I'm not in a relationship." The young yakuza read the message on his phone and quickly replied. Meanwhile, the long-haired yakuza's phone also vibrated so he let go of the left arm and pulled out the phone to see what it was.

"We got another job. Someone's messing one of our brothels here." He looked at his partner who was so busy texting he didn't listen. A vein popped in the katana wielder's head as he pointed the blade very close to the newbie's face. "Oi! I said we got another job. Text your girl later."

"Oh, right." He locked the phone and dragged the Russian while moving past all the unconscious and dead men in suits lying on the floor. As they went downstairs, they were met with another group of people in suits that had guns pointing at them. The two yakuza members looked at each other for a moment before raising their hands to surrender.

"Ha-Hahahaha! We finally cornered you!" The man in the middle laughed nervously with a twitchy smile. "You're gonna pay for every shit you've done to us!"

"Who's he?" The newbie asked.

"How should I know? I don't keep tabs on our jobs as long as I get paid. Must be a sorry dumbass who got dumped by a hooker."

"Are you fucking serious?!" The man shouted in irritation. "You guys kicked me out of that bar for no reason, remember?!"

"Does it ring a bell?" The long-haired yakuza asked his partner with a raised eyebrow.

"Doesn't click one bit," He answered while shaking his head. "You really came all this way for such a petty reason?"

"Ruining someone's fun is the biggest crime in life. y'know?"

"More getting rid of an asshole from the bar. I remember now, this guy was that drunk moron who tried to trash one of our bars. We kicked you out so you won't ruin the place so fuck your 'no reason' bullshit."

"And I thought you would understand since you also did the same thing months before you joined the yakuza. From what I heard, you really destroyed that sushi restaurant."

"Meh, times changed. I now realized there are more fun ways to wreak havoc. All it takes is to get beaten up by a couple of losers and get shit on to have the balls to explore. You should experience once in a while. It's kinda helpful."

_"Eh? He actually said something wise? That's a surprise. Except..."_ The newbie thought and then stared at his partner with a deadpanned look. "When you said 'more fun ways to wreak havoc', you mean cutting people with your katana, right?"

"Heh, that's part of it," he answered with a huge grin. "Well, dumbass?!: Arr you gonna kill us or what?!

"Shut up!" The man shouted angrily and looked at his subordinates. "Tie them up and drop them in the van."

"What? Too scared to shed blood, pussy?!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! Killing you would be too easy. I want to slowly savor every moment of you bastards crying till your eyes bleed. And I surely will enjoy it."

"So torture, huh?" The long-haired yakuza said in a deadpan tone.

"You sound like those stupid cliche villains." The newbie commented with the same tone as his partner.

"You fucking-, why are you all just standing there?! I said tie these sacks of shit!" The man shouted even louder and the subordinates followed his orders without delay. Two of them put away their pistols behind them and held ropes that would use to restrain the yakuza members. They approached them with caution, but the moment they were a foot closer to them, the yakuza members made their move. The long-haired yakuza punched the henchman to the face and turned him around to choke him while stealing the gun in the back of his pants, while the newbie swung a kick on the other henchman's groin, gave a right uppercut to the chin and used him as a shield as the young yakuza charged at the group. The group fired, attempting to aim at the newbie but the back of one of their members was in the way. The long-haired yakuza began shooting as well, aiming at the enemies on the far left since they have a better angle to shoot his partner. He killed five of them in quick succession while the others ran to find cover. Meanwhile, the young yakuza finally closed the distance and kicked his 'shield' at the enemy. He didn't waste a second as he right kicked the gun that was aiming at his left side of his head and elbowed him in the stomach, did a left uppercut to the face, and finished off with a right straight punch to the face again. He then ducked to evade a predictable gunshot and quickly wore his brass knuckles while running towards the gunner that fired. The newbie swung a low kick on the gunner's left leg which made him lost balance and then after successfully fitting the brass knuckle in his right hand, he used it to do a right hook on the left side and left cheek. He swung an upward left kick to the face and all of his actions from meat shield to here happened within a few seconds while the sounds of guns firing echoed in the area. The long-haired yakuza knew the gun was running out of bullets since he counted every shot fired so he dragged the henchman to a nearby table, flipped it down with his foot to use it as a cover and then shot the henchman in the head. He pickpocketed two magazines from that corpse to reload the pistol and began shooting the two enemies who were aiming at his partner. The remaining subordinates took cover and kept shooting at the table while the others focused on the young yakuza.

The leader became terrified that his entire gang of twenty people was losing quicker than he imagined. The newbie's reckless charge and the long-haired yakuza's aiming with the firearm to provide his partner support was a monstrous combo. In fact, he bet none could imagine there would be someone such as the young yakuza to just charge into a group that has guns, unarmed aside from the brass knuckle. He watched as the newbie beating up his subordinates while using them as cover. The newbie did a right hook to his nearest enemy and quickly ran behind him to throw the gunners off. He proceeded to hit the enemy by punching the sides and did a straight left punch at the back of his head to cause dizziness. He then grabbed the henchman's left shoulder and pushed him with his own shoulder to use him as a shield like what he did on the first one. The enemies proceeded to shoot him, hoping a bullet would at least graze him even if they were killing their own comrade. Meanwhile, his partner then ran out of his cover to grab the katana that was lying on the floor while shooting three more enemies in the head who had a better angle to shoot the newbie. As his subordinates fell and defeated, the leader stepped back in fear and tried to run away. However, the newbie already had his sights on him as he threw a gun at the back of his head and pinned him down to the floor.

"You're not getting away." The newbie said in a menacing tone as his partner finished off the last two remaining henchmen by stabbing the first one then sliced the other's throat.

"Alright, got any last words before I cut you in half?" The katana wielder said with an irritated expression as he quickly walked towards the restrained leader and pointed the blade at his nose.

"P-Please! That was a j-joke just now, you hear me? Come on, can't you all just let me go and I swear I'll never do this again." The man begged with a faltering smile and his beg for mercy made the long-haired yakuza grinned menacingly while the newbie sighed and shook his head in disappointment

"Well, we do want to because it's a waste of time... if it weren't for the three things you did tonight." The newbie turned him around to let him lay on the floor with his back.

"One, you were going to torture us." His partner's katana touched the leader's nose and bled as the blade sank to the flesh.

"And two, you found us here when we were very discreet. Whether it was just by chance or not, we'll get you to spit it all out." After that, he punched the leader's face, attempting to knock him out unconscious.

"W-Wait! Gghh!" The defeated leader interrupted him before he could land more punches while his nose bleed. The two yakuza members waited for him to talk with patience running thin. After a few seconds of grunting, he spoke. "W-What's number... three?..."

"Oh, three is you forced us to exhaust ourselves because of your petty excuse." That was the only answer the newbie gave before punching him in the face two times and knocked him out.

"Welp, and I thought that this night won't get any shittier, this dipshit made it the second shittiest night I've ever had." The katana wielder complained with a sigh of exhaustion while scratching the back of his head and held the katana across his shoulder.

"What's first?" The young yakuza asked while carrying the unconscious leader over his left shoulder.

"The night my dad disowned me."

"Oh..." The newbie's phone vibrated once again. It was vibrating ever since the fight began and he ignored it to stay alive from the enemies. As he pulled it out of his pocket and began texting, the long-haired yakuza looked at all the defeated men, more specifically men that the newbie fought. Some were still conscious but unable to move because of the excruciating pain he had given them or how he broke their limbs to render them immobile while others were fully knocked out. He turned back to the young yakuza who was once again engrossed in a text conversation until he was interrupted.

"Oi, oi, you can spend your time with your girl later. Right now, we need to figure out how to carry two people." The long-haired yakuza went back to the unconscious Russian and tried his best to drag him outside by pulling his right arm.

"Didn't this guy said about a van?" The newbie put the cellphone back to his right pocket and followed him outside.

"Then let's steal that shit and be on our way. Also..." He then pointed the katana at his partner's face and glared at him. The newbie only looked indifferent to his action and had another staredown. The long-haired yakuza slid down the weapon and now it touched his chest. "I don't fucking know why you joined us but if you want to work here, you gotta do the jobs, even the dirtiest ones. Get your hands full of blood and kill for the old man. You can act nice all you want but it'll come back to bite you."

"I know,"

"You're in the underworld now. Morals won't mean shit when you're in shitty situations."

"I know that. You don't have to tell me since you're not the first one who said that to me."

"Then..." The katana wielder let go of the Russian's arm and went back inside towards the nearest henchman lying on the ground with his front who was fully awake and tried to get up. However, his life ended when the long-haired yakuza stabbed his back.

"GAAAHH!" The henchman screamed and coughed up blood. The young yakuza dropped the leader as if he was baggage and angrily walked towards his partner. His right hand clutched into a fist and as he closed the distance between them, he punched him hard in the face but not without receiving a punch to his own face from his partner. Both withstood each other's punches as they express their anger. The newbie hoped he could save the dying henchman but he knew better with that amount of blood and injury, it was too late. That man wasn't as physically capable and built as the tall Russian, and so he quickly met his demise with a puddle of blood under him.

"What? You got mad that I killed him?" The long-haired yakuza moved his face forward and resisted the punch while the newbie did the same. "You're such a hypocrite, you know that? You think using their own men as a shield against their bullets doesn't count as murder? Well, guess what, you're practically doing the same thing as every people who live in the underworld; and that is doing everything they can to make money or whatever goal they have. And that includes stabbing a motherfucker to death!"

The katana wielder then surprised the newbie with a stomp to his right foot which made him winced in pain and then did a left hook in the face. The young yakuza fell on his back and was about to get back up, but a blade was pointed between his eyes. The katana wielder stood tall while moving the weapon even closer until the blade touched his skin.

"Get used to this shit, cuz you're not going back to your normal life. Hell, your normal life is gone after you did that shit back in Kyoto, Isato-kun."

"Do NOT call me that," The newbie called 'Isato' said with a menacing voice. They both glared at each other for a few seconds before the long-haired yakuza pulled the katana away from him and went back to the tall Russian to pull towards the black van.

"Let's go, we still have that job we're supposed to clean up."

"...yeah," The newbie stood up and carried the unconscious leader into the vehicle while his mind wandered on the events that happened in the past two and a half months. From the incidents that led him to the present to the actions that changed those around him. It was a struggle, and it was ironically even more struggling for him after his injuries healed. All of this gave him one goal in mind that forced him to decide to join the yakuza. _"I will get my freedom back, and get this 'famous detective' out of my sight. This is the only path I could accept. There's no turning back now."_

* * *

So yeah, this is the one I'm talking about; a timeskip.

I could try to make it slow and show more like the student council election, and events that led 8man to be part of the yakuza but I thought this is the right move and I will put some flashbacks here and there to make clarity of this current arc.

"But MagicName88. what gave you the idea of 8man being a yakuza!?"

Well, there was this one fanfic I read a year ago. I can't remember the title but it was about 8man being a yakuza boss after high school graduation. I thought it fits him. Y'know, with his looks and everything... So yeah! Let me know in the reviews on your thoughts about this chapter!

Thank you for reading this chapter. Please leave a review as your opinions will help me make this story better.


	10. Chapter 10: The Fallen and Risen

Hi, everyone! It's me! I never thought it would take me this long to finish this. And this shit is the longest chapter of the story! So yeah it's kinda rough over here. Lots of unfortunate circumstances. I had a lot of thinking in these couple of months and it bothered me a lot. But I'm going strong and ready to write again.

As for last chapter, I already expected these kinds of responses. The story went to a sudden shift in directions that didn't have any build-up. It was more like I was getting back to my older self when I was like "fuck the story, I just want to put all the things I like here without care". I'm sorry that many of you are upset.

So how will I fix this? I don't know.

To be honest, it's really hard to do this by myself. Compared to other big stories, I don't have an editor or at least someone to help me write this better. All I have is this computer and Grammarly to do the job. But at the same time, there's this sense of fulfillment when I finished a chapter and post it on this site. All the reviews I've read did upset me but not by a lot.

I don't know how to fix my mistake in the previous chapter so the only thing I can do is to move it forward. It's the direction I chose and I'll see this till the end.

So without further ado, let's get to it.

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Oregairu series as it is respectfully owned by the author and studios.**

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**Chapter 10: The Fallen Hero And The Risen Enemy**

_Youth is a lie, and it is nothing but evil._

_To this day, I still hold on to that belief. After all, the ultimate flaw of all humans is ignorance. _

_I'll give you an example. If such people were to dabble in criminal acts such as shoplifting or mass rioting, it would be called 'youthful indiscretion.' If they were to fail an exam, they would say school is not only a place for studying. Their pursuit of 'youth' excuses even distortions of commonly held beliefs and social norms. Under their discretion, lies, secrets, crimes and even failure are nothing but the spice of one's youth. And in their corrupt ways, they discover something peculiar about failure. They conclude that while their own failures are generally a part of relishing in youth, others' failures should be shot down as just failures and nothing more. If failure is seen as proof of one's youth, isn't it strange not to consider those who fail to make friends as experiencing the height of their youth? Not that they acknowledge that._

_It amounts to nothing. This is simply opportunism. Therefore, it is a sham, full of damnable lies, deception, secrets, and is an example of ignorance in its complex form. That is a form of evil._

_But exiting the stage of youth doesn't mean there is no evil inside you anymore._

_Adults still lie but more carefully and cunningly. They read the situation to decide whether to deceive or not depending on what they see as the best option. The moment they stepped into adulthood, the first two things they would learn are self-control, and knowledge although the latter is debatable considering the number of idiots that exist in this world I digress. The experiences these adults are automatically set in a higher difficulty as their stage is the real world. Also, the amount of freedom adults have in their lives was lessened because of things such as responsibilities and obligations to society. Now what you are thinking is, "adults can be as childish as kids.". Yes, that is correct. Don't misinterpret my definition of adulthood as a transformation or as such. The stages of life are processes of growth. Your former traits in our youth won't disappear that quickly and it requires learning and even worse failures than what you had in your youth. However, some traits are permanently embedded in all of us and sadly, evil is one of them. Evil would either shrink or evolve as time goes on. Whether adults are evil or not, they can still have self-control and knowledge as they learn many things throughout their lives and be responsible to do certain things. And that's what makes them terrifying. Despite the lack of freedom, their ability to lie has taken to new heights once they've adapted to the world of adulthood. Also, the number of choices may become limited to them, but their freedom to choose is still something not to mock about._

_"where am I going with this?" You ask?_

_All I'm saying is that humans are capable to become or at least do evil. Age, gender, and whatever characteristics do not matter because we are all evil in different forms._

_Now... If humans are capable of evil or they are all evil in general, then the society that we humans built is an aggregate of all forms of evil living together in a more or less ordered community. Evil is everywhere in society from both the underground where the crimes are performed in the dark and the surface where they are hiding in plain sight from the crowds of ignorant people living normally. Even the law enforcers such as the police are ironically evil despite the main objective of their job is to promote justice and punish crimes. But we ignore all that because the roles they've given and established to society overshadowed the true character of each individual. An evil that is called ignorance and another evil that is social manipulation._

_If that is the case. Then justice is a word of irony._

_If justice can't extinguish evil, then evil is the only way to remove itself._

_Within that logic, if crime can't be punished by the established law of society, then to counter a crime is to commit another crime._

_That is how I came to be_

_As with everything I've witnessed and played on HIS stage, this is why the underground feels safer._

_It's very ironic._

* * *

It had only been thirty minutes since the two yakuza members delivered their two enemies to the organization. It was decided that their interrogation will be handled by the "professionals" while the two yakuza members would patrol their assigned area after finishing the last task. The newbie and the long-haired partner were in a black Honda N Box car patrolling the red light district. Although their current job was to patrol, the long-haired yakuza did it in his own... fun way.

"Nope... nope... not that girl..." He mumbled to himself while looking at women as he was slowly driving. Meanwhile, the young yakuza was bored and just stared at anything he found interesting with his cheek resting on his right hand with a black leather glove. They passed by several brothels and strip clubs as snow rained on the city. Since it was winter, the two newbies wore a charcoal grey overcoat over his buttoned sharp black suit with an addition of a red tie, while the long-haired yakuza wore a brown buttoned trench coat. So far, their patrol was uneventful with not a single problem occurring and now the long-haired yakuza attempted to find a woman he could spend the night with. "Hmm... she looks good... but I don't know... Oh! Now that's a hottie! But her face looks like she got no experience in this area. Hey, what do you think, Higeki?"

"Why are you asking me?" The newbie name Higeki asked with a bored tone.

"Well, since you have experiences with a girl-"

"Again, she's not my girlfriend."

"-I thought you could give advice, y'know? Between bros. Or better yet, between men."

"Good luck with that."

"Oi, oi, I'm being kind enough to treat you to bar as an apology from earlier, at least repay me with something."

"And exactly when did I agree to that? Besides, I'm not old enough to drink and I doubt I would drink."

"I'm just gonna buy you some non-alcoholic beverages. Iced tea, Arnold Palmer, club soda with lime, Seltzer with bitters, or maybe you want something for your age like warm milk or some shit," The long-haired yakuza laughed at his own statement and Higeki sighed in annoyance. "Look, if you want me to drop you off at your apartment, fine. But come on, man. Share me some wisdom on how to get ladies."

"Didn't you get a lot of women at the strip clubs? What happened to them?"

"They're just friends with benefits and fuck buddies. I need a girl who can be with me cuz she's really into me. Oh! What about that girl, Higeki?" He pointed at a woman with long curly brown hair walking on the sidewalk. Her attire consisted of a red trench coat, tight denim jeans, and a silver scarf around her neck. He grinned and looked back at his partner. "You think I got a shot at her?"

"Maybe, if it wasn't for that ring she's wearing," The young yakuza said while pointing. The long-haired yakuza looked closely and noticed a shiny object around her left ring finger.

"Doesn't matter. Cheating sex would be thrilling."

"I-I see... But seriously, don't." Higeki stared at his partner oddly and sweat dropped on his cheek. "If by any chance her husband is some sort of rich asshole or a guy who's a lot stronger and more built than you, then it was nice knowing you."

"Pfft, as if. What kind of wife would go into this district alone. She is begging for some pleasure."

"Yeah, but not from you. Look." The two yakuza members saw a man wearing a blue puffer jacket and black pants. He also wore the same ring as the woman and they were walking side by side.

"What the fuck? What kinda guy would just leave his girl in the middle of these kinds of districts," The long-haired yakuza complained while glaring at the man6back as they walked away until they were out of his sight. "That guy must be into getting cucked. There are those kinds of weirdos. Anyways, what bar do we go to?"

"Just a place where they have drinks that are not alcoholic," Higeki said with indifference as he waved his bandaged-covered left hand back and forth to further state his answer. "Just try not to get too drunk, Tsurugi."

"Yeah, yeah. What are you, my babysitter? Are you from a fucking strict and boring family or some shit?"

"Answer from one; I might be your babysitter the more you make me take care of you every time you're drunk. And number two; no."

"Tch, I fucking hate you. So the usual place then?"

"Whatever." That was Higeki's only answer before his partner name Tsurugi stepped on the gas and drove the car. They drove past many love hotels and strip clubs until they exited the district to see shops, restaurants, and more. Snow began to pile up on the leafless tree branches and some buildings had Christmas lights and other decorations that represented the coming holiday of December. After taking a few turns and going a little faster, they reached the destination and entered a small parking area. The two yakuza members exited the vehicle and walked towards the one-story building.

"I bet I can get a nice catch in there," Tsuguri smirked as they entered the bar. As they expected, the establishment consisted of many people drinking and having conversations at every corner of the establishment. The smell of alcohol invaded their noses and approached the counter where the bartender was mixing beverages with a cocktail shaker. "So, what you want?"

"A mojito mocktail I guess..." The young yakuza answered while they sat on the chair of the counter.

"I'm going whiskey highball. I'm feeling for some 1950s for this night." The long-haired yakuza told the bartender their orders and now they waited while watching him mixing the beverages. It didn't take long for the bartender to serve their orders and now they took the pleasure of drinking slowly and without having conversations. The silence wasn't awkward since the peace relaxed their minds after a tiring day of night work. As minutes passed, boredom resurfaced once again and so, they did their own ways to entertain themselves. Tsuguri was looking at the women around the bar, deciding which of them should be his target while Higeki took the time to text the girl once again.

[12:30 PM] Higeki: I'm in a bar.

[12:30 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: Eh? You drink now? Since when?

[12:30 AM] Higeki: No, my friend just dragged me here. I'm only drinking a non-alcoholic beverage

[12:31 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: So you got peer pressured? I never thought you would be swayed by people like that. I wonder how easy it would be for me to force you to go shopping with me 😜

[12:31 AM] Higeki: Don't get your hopes up for anything. Even if I did agree to come with you, I'll still be bored and yawning at your face.

[12:31 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: That's rude! 😣. Of course, we'll have fun while we're shopping. Like, going to the arcade, eat at a cafe, or we could even have an amusement park date after shopping!

[12:31 AM] Higeki: Sounds tiring.

[12:31 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: Everything is tiring for you.

[12:32 AM] Higeki: Yes, for I am a man who conserves my energy for important things.

[12:32 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: You're saying our date isn't important to you?! 😢

[12:32 AM] Higeki: Why are you calling it a date? We're not going out yet.

[12:33 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: Well, I did ask you to go out with me.

[12:33 AM] Higeki: You only asked me to go shopping with you.

[12:33 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: Yeah, just the two of us. And what do you call when a boy and a girl hang out alone together?

[12:33 AM] Higeki: A socialization with a friend. Don't assume a person's activities are based on something as ridiculous as these "boy and girl" speculations. Even people can just spend time with someone of the opposite gender and still not have any affections towards each other.

[12:33 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: MOOUUUU! " Well, do you want to "socialize" 😒 with me when you come back?

[12:34 AM] Higeki: Sure, let's "socialize" this Christmas.

[12:34 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: Seriously?! You're coming back!? 😍

[12:34 AM] Higeki: I'll ask my boss from my part-time job for a week-off. I'll text you soon for an update.

[12:35 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: Okay! let's hang out when you came back!

Before he could reply to her text, Tsuguri tapped his shoulder to put his focus on him.

"What?" Higeki asked and the long-haired yakuza answered by pointing a finger at someone. The newbie looked at where his partner pointed to see a woman with black bob-cut hair and her attire consisted of a beige slip dress under a jaguar fur jacket and black high boots. In Higeki's eyes, she was really beautiful with the red lipstick but she appeared to be older than his partner. "She looks a lot older than you."

"So what? I'm all in for it as long as she is hot and got the moves for the night. Any good bits of advice about older women?" Tsuguri asked while smirking and staring at the woman who was busy on her phone and drinking. The young yakuza scratched the back of his head and held his own chin as a gesture to think of good advice. He wasn't thinking about this seriously but it would be amusing for him to watch his partner fail and get slapped in the face.

"Just one thing, don't mention anything about her age. Don't ever talk about it." Higeki told him with the same indifferent tone. "Also, try not to be too flirty."

"I'll take the first advice. Fuck the latter. If there's a woman alone in a place like this, she's begging for a man to touch her."

"That's how you think about women in general?" The young yakuza asked but he was ignored by Tsuguri who stood up and took off the trench coat. Tsuguri gave his partner a thumbs up and he responded with a grunt of annoyance. The long-haired yakuza approached the woman with his drink in hand. He sat down on a chair across from the woman in which gained her attention. Higeki couldn't hear what they were saying but he assumed that it was going well based on her expressions.

"Huh, looks like he's doing well. How long will it last, though?" Higeki mumbled while drinking his mocktail. His thoughts wandered on his partner's character. Their first encounter wasn't really friendly. In fact, it mostly involved him helping a couple of owners of a restaurant from the katana wielder's violence and almost got killed. The comparison between that time and the present was almost like night and day. Keyword being "almost" because there was still a tense thread in their "friendship". However, that didn't hinder their work for the organization since one distraction could get them killed. All their jobs were underground after all. Whether it was a negotiation, loan sharking, or even a simple patrol in the safest hours, in the dark of society inhabited the incarnation of crime. Higeki trusted Tsuguri as a sort of business partner or a co-worker at best and that would suffice for the benefit of their work. After his line of thought, the young yakuza looked at his partner and noticed the woman was staring at him. Tsuguri didn't notice it since he was busy looking at his phone, perhaps attempting to find something interesting for a conversation between them. Her stare felt strange for Higeki as her eyes widened and her expression was full of bewilderment. He raised an eyebrow at that and then she suddenly stood up from her chair and grabbed her pink handbag. Tsuguri and the women talked shortly before she left although that talk was mostly goodbyes. The long-haired yakuza tilted his head, indicating his confusion and Higeki sighed.

"Damn, and we were getting along too," Tsuguri said to him as he sat back down next to him. "She looked like she was in a hurry. Wonder what that was about?"

"Don't ask me..." Higeki answered while staring at the door where the women exited. "... Did it even go well?"

"Yeah, I told you, didn't I?"

"hard to believe. You must've messed up somehow."

"I think I did okay so fuck you. You want another serve of that?"

"I'm good. Let's get back to the car and patrol for one more hour."

"Ugh, come on. Can't you have a little fun for a minute? Even criminals like us need a break."

"Then, I'll go ahead and get back in the car. Keys."

"For fuck's sake. Did anyone ever tell you that you're a boring grampa?"

"Yes, someone told that a thousand times already."

Tsuguri pulled out the keys From the inner pocket of his jacket and with that, Higekileft the establishment and headed to the vehicle. He looked around to see if that woman was still but he found no one and continued his way to the car. He pushed a button on the car keys and the vehicle's light blinked twice with a recognizable sound that indicated he had turned off the alarm. After unlocking the door, he entered the car and immediately turned on the heater. Despite the attire suited for the winter, it was not enough for him to endure the cold temperature. The young yakuza then turned on the radio to listen to music. He wasn't really the kind of person to be into music but after Minami sent him a text saying she was going to sleep and replied with a goodnight, this was the only option to occupy himself. He pressed a button to change the radio channel repeatedly to find something worth listening to and to calm his mind. After one more channel change, he stopped when a male voice spoke on the radio.

"Tonight, Chiba's famous vigilante stopped three muggers in the-" Higeki quickly changed the radio channel before he could listen to that news any further. Unfortunately, his irritation grew as he listened to a woman speaking about the same topic, and so he hanged it again and again.

"Is Isato truly a hero? Or a person who stepped out of bounds-"

"I don't know about you, but if I ever got into trouble and Isato saves me, I would immediately pull my phone out and take a picture of him befo-"

"A Merry Christmas to all and the hero Isa-"

"People like Isato is the reason why our country became one of the safest in the world. It's because we are all contribu-"

_"Isato-"_

_"Isato-san"_

_Isato"_

_"Isato"_

_"Isato-kun"_

_**"Isato"**_

Higeki turned off the radio and breathed heavily. He clutched his chest and head to calm the pain and took deep breaths while closing his eyes. The door to his left suddenly opened and he gasped in surprise by that. It was Tsuguri who opened the door and looked at the young yakuza with a raised eyebrow.

"What the hell was that? It's as if you saw fucking ghost." Tsuguri asked and Higeki took one last deep breath before looking at his partner with an indifferent expression and spoke.

"I was asleep, that's all."

"I'm pretty sure I didn't take too long in the bar... Whatever," The long-haired yakuza went inside and made a hand gesture to Higeki to give back the keys. Higeki gave it to him and the car's engine made a sound after turning the vehicle on. Tsuguri looked at him one last time before stepping the gas. "Oi, if you're sick or something, bear with it. It's just one more hour of patrolling anyway.

"Wow, how very considerate and kind of you." Higeki said while rolling his eyes.

"And I'm not sick."

The last hour of patrolling was uneventful so far in which the young yakuza appreciated. As for Tsuguri, he was bored that nothing was happening and hoped a little chaos might occur anytime now. After verifying the area as safe, their final job of the night was done and now the long-haired yakuza drove them to his partner's apartment. After turning the vehicle to the right, they reached a six-story apartment with only the ground floor had lights on. There were no people in and out of the building which meant that all the residents fell asleep or they were somewhere else doing who knows what. The two yakuza members didn't speak as Higeki undid the seatbelt and stepped out of the vehicle. No last-minute conversations, no gestures of goodbyes, only pure silence as the moment their work ended, so too was their friendly act. Before Higeki walked further, Tsuguri spoke.

"Oi, you remembered what I said earlier in front of the building?"

"About me committing to kill? Yeah, clear as day."

"Yeah, make sure to put those words in your goddamn skull. You can't keep that good guy act forever. Not in a world like this."

The only response Higeki gave was only walking away from him and entered the apartment as the two glass doors automatically slid open. The long-haired yakuza glared at his back for a while until he drove out of the area. Higeki entered the elevator and pressed the button that would get him to the fifth floor. After ten seconds, a bell rang and the elevator door slid open. He walked on the corridor while pulling out the keys to his apartment room as he reached the end of the corridor and opened the door to his left. After inserting the key and turning the door handle, the young yakuza finally unlocked and opened the door to reveal a big room with the only furniture a long brown sofa with a pair of white pillows, and a wooden table in front of the sofa that appeared to only fit two plates. There was a small kitchen area with a counter that had a sink. Even though it was an expensive-looking apartment room, there wasn't much anything. No decorations such as picture frames and plants, no souvenirs, and not even a television. All this room had were what it was given for all other residents in this apartment and necessities for chores in cleaning and cooking.

"I'm back~... Well, I'm the only one here." Higeki mumbled with a sigh. He removed his shoes, took off the coat and hung it on a coat rack, and went to the bathroom to refresh himself. All the bruises he received from tonight's intense job stung as the hot shower drizzled his entire body along with all the injuries. He winced in pain and put his hand on the wall in front of him to resist it. His fight with the Russian and the entire job itself exhausted him to a high extent as well as mentally with all the questions he discovered. _"Could that Russian really be part of the Barbaros Syndicate? If he is, then that guy along with the other previous dealers who tried to build a drug business here might have a connection with that syndicate. Something big is really about to happen and I don't know what. Guess the only thing to do is wait till tomorrow for the yakuza to get info out of him."_

After taking a dip in the bathtub, he went out of the bathroom wearing a white long-sleeve collar shirt and brown shorts while drying his hair with a towel. The bandages wrapped in his left hand and head were removed. He sat down in the middle of the couch and with his cellphone in hand. There wasn't anything in social media that interested him but he still swiped down and played a video for the sake of killing time. His cellphone rang and he saw an incoming call from someone. When the young yakuza looked at the number, his expression changed into bewilderment and then into anger. He closed his eyes to contemplate whether to answer the call or not but before he could decide, the call stopped. Higeki stared at the phone screen for a few moments until the same number called once again. He clutched the device so much that it shook and finally, after the fifth ring, he answered.

"What do you want?" He spoke, trying his best to act indifferent to the person on the other side of the call, but there was a hint of irritation in his voice.

_"It's been two weeks since we last talk and this is the first thing you said to me?"_ A familiar voice of a woman spoke. _"A hello would be nice, y'know?"_

"How did you get this number, Miura-san."

_"Or not... I asked Komachi."_

_"That idiot imouto."_ Higeki thought angrily in his mind. _"What the hell is she thinking?"_

_"Now don't growl at your sister after this call. She said she'd give me your number in exchange for a favor of hers."_

"A favor?"

_"Yeah, something about giving an idiot older brother a punch to the face to get his act together."_

"I am thinking rationally, Miura-san. And my rational thinking led me to this best possible option."

_"By becoming a criminal? Do you know how stupid and contradicting that sounds?"_

"Where could I go? The police? The supposed 'law enforcements'?"

_"To me. You should've leaned on me for this problem."_

"How can I trust you? You're still working as a police."

_"Oh, my fuc-, I'm the one who told you about him before you left the school trip! I even got out of my way to disobey orders from the chief to find you in Kyoto and protected you from-"_

"How do I know this isn't part of his plan and you're going along with it?"

_"Listen, You can't go on like this. Even if you've managed to get out of his radar or he and the rest of this mess get cleaned, you can't go back to normal life. Please, for the thousandth time, trust me."_

_"_I'm sorry. I can't. If you want to help me, there is one thing you can do."

_"Don't tell me it's to leave you alone-"_

"So you've read my mind. Well then, please do me that favor. It will help me a lot." Before she could respond, Higeki ended the call and just continued watching the video to distract himself from that. _"Guess I need to change my contact number. What was Komachi thinking?"_

The video in social media did help for a distraction although maybe in a different way. Higeki was fully bored when an advertisement abruptly cut the video. He already knew it was a scam and wanted to press the skip button. However, he decided to listen further as it did interest him a little on what other sorts of ridiculous claims the man promoting the product would say. The more he watched the larger his boredom grew as well as his drowsiness. His eyelids were slowly closing but he tried to lift them as if they were heavy. It was all futile in the end as the young yakuza's consciousness faded.

* * *

_It was dark. No, everything was all just black. Hikigaya Hachiman checked himself to see his whole body clearly which meant his eyes weren't closed. However, what he also noticed was that he was sitting in a wheelchair wearing a hospital gown. His entire left arm was gone as if it was amputated. He clutched his left sleeve to check if this was real until a scream of a child and man echoed and reached his ears. He looked in front to see a little girl and a bald man lying prone on the black ground. Their faces were indistinguishable but judging from how their bodies were shaking and struggled to get up, he assessed that they might be in pain. Suddenly, chains rose from the ground and pierced their flesh everywhere but no blood came out. The little girl and bald man screamed louder and seemed to be looking at him even though they had no eyes. The boy in a hospital gown tried to stand up but his legs couldn't move. In fact, he couldn't even feel his legs and so he desperately tried to move the wheelchair but it wouldn't move as if the wheels were frozen. The more he struggled to stand, the screams became louder and louder, and his desperation and despair grew by the second until the wheelchair flew towards the two people restrained in chains as if someone threw it along with him with such strength. Fortunately, he was on the ground so he used his one right arm to crawl closer to save the little girl first since she was the closest to him. However, he realized that the girl was sinking to the ground as the chains dragged her down. After closing the distance for about a few feet, he stretched his hand forward in an attempt to grab the girl's hand. Sadly, he was too late as the little girl sank into the black ground as if it was quicksand._

_He cursed himself for this failure but he didn't give up since there was that bald guy who was still sinking. He made it in time to grab the man's hand to pull him out. Hikigaya suddenly felt his legs moving and so despite only had one hand, he stood up and pulled the bald man as strong and quick as he could. It was successful as the man's body rose. However, while he was pulling him up, the chains that pierced the bald man began to appear dirty and slowly covered in blood. He didn't notice it because he closed his eyes in the desperation of saving someone. The longer he pulled, the more pain he felt in his right hand. It was as if the hand he was holding tightly had spikes and the pain began spreading through his arm. After what felt like an eternity of enduring the excruciating pain, he finally saved the man from sinking into darkness. The bald man was just on his knees, staring down and not moving a single finger in his hands. A certain rush spread inside his body, his breathing became rapid and his heart was beating irregularly as the sound echoed around him. A hissing sound of steam reached his ears and saw steam coming down on top of the bald man. Hikigaya looked up to see the little girl hung upside down in chains that still pierced into her body. The chains were steaming and glowing as if they were exposed to intense heat. They emitted so much steam it covered the girl's entire body until it was a silhouette and the bald man raised his head up towards the hanging little girl and opened his mouth. He inhaled deeply which absorbed the steam into his mouth and after a few seconds, the bald man closed it with puffed cheeks and looked at the boy who was afraid of all this nonsense happening._

_The bald man immediately opened his mouth wide and a trail of steam launched towards the boy's neck. The steam surrounded his neck and strangled him as if it turned solid. The steam lifted him up with his neck and flailed him violently. As he flailed to the right, Hikigaya crashed into a wall of crystals that appeared out of nowhere which broke. To the left, he crashed through another wall of crystals._

_"GAH!" Hikigaya yelled in pain while trying to breathe as much air as possible from being strangled. He kept being flailed into crystals before being pummeled into the ground on his back. The bones in his entire body should have shattered from all that, yet he only felt pain and could still move slightly. He lost the feeling in his legs once again and the steam strangled around his neck turned into two chains twisted together. Hikigaya looked around to notice he was in a cave full of crystals with some rooted in the ground and above in different sizes while others were fragments scattered everywhere. The crystals gave off a light that changed color back and forth from blue to red every second. He looked to his left and noticed his left arm was there attached to his body as if it didn't really get amputated and was just there the entire time. Hikigaya felt the chains around his neck moved on its own and looked in front to see a creature that terrified him. It had a skinny and grey body, and a face that looked dehydrated and the mouth didn't have lips, revealing its unclean and yellow teeth. There were also crystals embedded in its body and most of it was in its back as if they grew inside of the monster._

_In short, the creature looked like a skeleton with a minimal amount of flesh in its body. Hikigaya noticed that the creature's hands were handcuffed and its chain was the one that strangled around his neck which was already removed from him. The chain in the monster's handcuff was too long to restrain its hands and it also appeared to be rusty._

_The monster slowly slouched its way to Hikigaya and grabbed something on the ground. It was a gavel that was covered in dust and also had a few small crystals rooted in it. The creature slowly raised the gavel while approaching him and the light from the crystals slowly faded as it got closer to him. Hikigaya couldn't move as he only watched as the creature swung down the gavel and hit his head. It was very painful yet there was something strange about it. The pain was from the inside as if he wasn't hit in the head by anything but rather had a splitting headache. He closed his eyes shut from the excruciating pain and the moment he screamed, the bandage wrapped around his head loosened slightly and strands of bandages lashed out as if they came to life. He looked around in the dark to see objects floating in the air. Picture frames with only images of shadow; books with blurred words with some letters just flew out f the texts and papers; and even cellphones that had different ringtones. He hoped to wonder what they were and why they were floating but the pain in his head intensified further until he had to clutch his head to resist. The strands of bandages on his head flew and slowly wrapped the object. One by one, the objects turned to dust from the bandages crushing them. Each time one of them at least cracked increased the pain of his headache even more and when it shattered into dust, he almost lost consciousness. The dust of all the crushed objects froze still in the air and after the last picture frame was destroyed, a static sound hurt his ears._

_"GAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"_

* * *

Higeki sat up from the couch with his face dripping in sweat despite the cold temperature. He breathed heavily while clutching his head and chest from being overwhelmed by the nightmare. The sunlight illuminating through the large picture window indicated that it was daytime as the morning news on his phone announced the weather today. After a few more heavy breaths, the young yakuza wiped the sweat on his forehead that revealed the huge scar behind his bangs. He stood up and walked unsteadily into the bathroom to take out a roll of bandage in a drawer. Higeki unbuttoned the shirt and removed it to reveal his toned physique with a long scar on his right forearm and two more big scars on his upper left arm. He wrapped the bandages into his entire left arm and then to his forehead.

The young yakuza wore back the shirt while entering the bedroom that consisted of a large bed fit for two people with a white blanket and pillow. it was the same as the living room, not a single piece of furniture nor any decorations in here. Basically, almost empty and dull. He opened the closet and the only clothes hanging were only sharp black suits, white collared buttoned-up shirts, and some winter coats. The clothes were so few it barely occupied half the closet's large space. He grabbed a black blazer to wear and exited the apartment room while wearing the topcoat. The only things he brought were his wallet and cellphone in each of his pocket pants, and the brass knuckle hidden in the inside jacket pocket. After going down to the ground floor via an elevator, he approached a vending machine to insert a coin and pressed a few buttons. The chosen canned beverage fell in the machine and he picked it up. He opened the can and took a sip.

"PFFFTTT!" Only for him to spat the brown liquid out of his mouth and had a disgusted expression. He threw away the can in the trash bin and went out of the apartment to catch a breath of fresh air with piles of snow in his surroundings. As he breathed deeply, the phone in his pocket vibrated and so he pulled it out to see what it was. The phone screen displayed a message from Minami and so he unlocked the phone to read the text.

[8:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: GOOD MORNING 😊

[8:00 AM] Higeki: Good morning.

[8:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: What are you doing?

[8:00 AM] Higeki: Getting breakfast at some cafe or something.

[8:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: That's like the 1000th time already. You should make your own breakfast.

[8:00 AM] Higeki: Too lazy, and I don't have time so I need to eat something from a convenience store.

The young yakuza engaged in a text conversation with her while being attentive to his surroundings to avoid any accidents. He reached the nearest convenience store and grabbed two things for breakfast: an Oronamin C Drink which was an energy drink with caffeine and vitamin C and a maguro onigiri. When he approached the counter to buy it, he noticed the female cashier looked terrified from how her hands shook and her smile looked so forced. As he put down his items on the counter for her to scan them, the cashier tried her best to maintain her composure but clearly failing.

"W-Would you like a receipt?" She stuttered while handing him the two purchased items.

"No thanks," He took them and exited the store but not before hearing a sigh of relief from the female cashier. _"I guess she suspects I'm with the yakuza. Either because of my appearance or that rumors are starting to spread in this city. Either way, that's good for me."_

While eating the onigiri, the young yakuza walked as he ignored all the stares from other people. Some were avoiding him and whispered among themselves. He couldn't care less about what they gossiped as his primary focus is the interrogation of the captured Russian that would occur today. Last night, there were no updates from the tall foreigner so he was hoping the information would be extracted and also hoping that information would truly benefit the organization no matter if the Russian was part of the Barbaros Syndicate or not. Higeki rode a bus to reach his destination quickly and all the passengers stared at him while others tried to avoid his gaze. The driver would occasionally look at the rear-view mirror to see the young yakuza standing beside other passengers that couldn't find a seat or chose not to. They minded their own business such as looking at social media on their cellphones and waiting for the bus to reach their own destinations. However, the driver and passengers couldn't ignore Higeki's presence. After a few minutes, the bus finally stopped and he went out to see a small three-story building in front of him.

_"You may be thinking why a yakuza like me is just walking in broad daylight. Movies and other mediums depicted the Yakuza as an invisible, evil organization that works in the dark doing sketchy operations. While working in the dark is true, the Yakuza organization is not hiding from the public. The organization published a magazine complete with feature stories on its leaders and there was one time when they helped people when an earthquake occurred here in 1995 and a tsunami struck that destroyed many cities in Japan. Unlike most crime syndicates and groups around the world, the Yakuza weren't completely evil and they had a public face. Some say the reason why the crime rate of this country is so low is not just the strict laws and strong enforcement, but also the efforts of our syndicate getting rid of petty criminals that tried to overstep our territories. But does everyone see us as the good guys? Not most of them, because we still commit crimes in the underworld and we can be violent when necessary._

_Gambling businesses, loan sharking, managing prostitution, and weapon sales._

_Those are the crimes we do on a nightly basis. We were also given jobs such as escorting important people like politicians and act as guards. We are basically the anti-heroes of society."_

"Woah, that's a yakuza right there," A male high school student whispered to his girlfriend but due to the lack of people in the streets and the distance between them, Higeki could hear it clearly.

"Scary..." The girlfriend whispered while clutching his arm tighter.

"Really? I think they're cool."

"You think criminals are cool?"

"I mean..." The high school couple walked away until they were too far from his ears to hear their conversation as he sighed and he approached the building in silence. Two people stood between the entrance. One wore sharp black suits while the other wore white and both had sunglasses.

"Old man Katashi wants to speak with you." The guard on his left spoke.

"And he didn't look happy saying it," The other guard said with a grin. "Finally, after a whole-ass month, you fucked something up."

"I didn't do anything that would get me in trouble," Higeki said while entering the building. "He must be having a bad day."

"Maybe, but I want to stick with my personal choice. Hahahaha!" The guard's laugh faded as the young yakuza walked inside further. He walked into a corridor and turned to the right to find a door right in front of him. He knocked on the door three times and the voice of an old man responded inside the room.

"Come in." After hearing that, Higeki opened the door to see a small room that consisted of two couches facing each other and a long rectangular glass table parallel between them. An old man with a black beard wearing a grey sharp suit with a red tie and black collared shirt under. The old man looked at the young yakuza with a serious expression and only tilted his head to point at the couch in front of him, telling him to sit down. Higeki nodded in response and sat on the other couch while taking off the coat.

"So... the job from last night," Katashi spoke while pulling out a box of cigarettes to smoke. "You did well cleaning up those trespassers with your partner. And catching two people with valuable information is a bonus."

"Thank you." Higeki bowed in gratitude to the old man.

"Now there is just one problem," Katashi said while smoking. "That Russian you brought here won't budge. No matter what we did, he closed his mouth shut."

"I see. Should we drug him?"

"That is an option we were about to act on until he said something that made us not to."

"What did he say?"

"A couple hours ago, that gaijin said he would only talk to the 'boy with the brass knuckles'. You can probably tell where this is going."

"You want me to interrogate him..."

"Yeah, how good is your interrogation skills?"

"From a scale of one to ten? I'd say six. I can scare them with threats and stare at them long enough to spill everything they know. But if it's someone like that Russian guy, I doubt I can get him to even let out his voice."

"Is that so? Hmm..." Katashi smoked one more time before tapping the cigarette on the edge of the ashtray to remove the ashes. After a few seconds of thinking in silence, he looked at Higeki with a grin which made the young yakuza felt uneasy and confused at the same time. "Meh, it's still worth a shot."

"I'll try..." The two yakuza stood up and exited the room and walked into the hallway. They passed by other members who stepped aside to let the two walked the path smoothly in silence. Higeki and Katashi went downstairs until they reached a corridor with metal doors on both sides. There was one keypad below each door handle, meaning they can only be opened by entering the correct code as each door had its own code to open. "If I remember right, this is only your second time in the torture hall?"

"Yes, the old man once showed me this place when I first joined in."

"Alright then, do you still remember what he told you?"

"These rooms are soundproof, so we couldn't hear the victim's screams from outside. At the end of the hallway is a door that leads to storage full of toys, weapons, and weird contraptions used for torture. All of the rooms have security cameras inside to record all previous tortures and interrogation attempts. The footage of a victim's confession will either be sent to the boss or put them in an archive for references."

"That's right. And that..." Katashi pointed at a door to their right. "... is where we put the Russian in good care."

They approached the metal door and the old man entered the code to open it. The keypad made a beeping sound as he opened the door to reveal a tall muscular, and naked man with a black crew cut sitting on a metal chair in a dimly lit room. Both of his hands and feet were cuffed on a metal chair, and his entire body and face had cuts, bruises, and dirt. His left eye was swollen while his right eye had noticeable eye bags. All of the cuts were still bleeding as the armrest to the bottom half of the chair were covered in blood and left a puddle on the floor. Right next to him was a laptop placed on a small circular table and a small condenser microphone connected to it with a chord. Two men were standing in front of the tall, restrained foreigner. One had black messy hair and wore a plain grey yukata. He held a katana with a blade covered in blood in his right hand. The other had a blonde shaved head and wore a black shirt and a pair of jeans. The two men turned around when they heard the creaking sound of the metal door opening and their eyes widened by the visitors.

"Old man Katashi!" Both torturers stood straight with their feet closed together and bowed. The messy-haired yakuza raised his head slightly while bowing to notice Higeki standing behind Katashi. The bearded old man noticed him and spoke.

"Still won't talk?" He asked while pointing at the Russian.

"Y-Yes, that gaijin really wants to speak with that kid and won't even open his mouth unless he's doing the interrogation," The blonde yakuza answered.

"Well then, you're now in charge of this one, Higeki." Katashi tapped the young yakuza's right shoulder without turning around to look at him.

"I understand," Higeki's answer satisfied the old man and exited the room, leaving the young yakuza with the two torturers. Higeki noticed the tall Russian staring at him with a grin. He raised an eyebrow in confusion to that expression but regardless, he approached him and analyzed his current state further.

"Give the order." The man with the katana spoke while stretching his neck.

"We trust your guts no matter what, kid." The blonde man cracked his knuckles while glaring at the naked Russian.

"Did he said anything else other than wanting to meet me?" Higeki asked.

"Nope, that's all that bastard said and he didn't even sound in pain. Tough fucker."

"Alright, then. First, find me a chair," Higeki raised one finger then continued while raising another. "Second, you two leave the room. I'll handle this alone."

"Are you sure?" The messy-haired yakuza asked.

"Yes, for him to endure this much just so he could confront me is saying something. That deserves respect." Higeki said while maintaining his scrutinizing gaze towards the tall foreigner. The two torturers looked at each other for a moment until the messy-haired yakuza shrugged his shoulders and the blonde man sighed.

"Alright." They followed his requests as they went out and brought a chair for Higeki to sit. The two torturers stayed outside of the metal door in case the young yakuza needed assistance during and/or after the interrogation. Higeki was alone with the tortured Russian in the room as he sat down in a wooden chair and looked at the laptop and microphone.

_"I'm assuming that's a translator for him. Technology has truly advanced, huh?"_ Higeki took one deep breath and finally spoke. "It's just the two of us now. You can talk."

"..." The Russian remained silent and tilted his head to point at the laptop and microphone. Higeki raised an eyebrow in trying to figure out what that meant.

"Ah, He doesn't understand Japanese... right." The young yakuza scratched his head in embarrassment. He stood up to carefully lifted the small table to prevent the laptop and mic from falling and placed it in the middle between him and the tall foreigner. He then moved the chair closer to the tortured captive and spoke on the microphone. "Uhh... Hello?"

_"Zdravstvuyte?"_ A male robotic voice spoke in Russian through the laptop.

"Wow, it works."

"Spasibo, chto prishli syuda. _(Thanks for coming here.)_ The Russian spoke as the electronic translated his language.

"Okay then. Let's start the interrogation with who are you. _(Nu ladno. Davayte nachnem dopros s togo, kto vy takoy.)_"

"Menya zovut Masaru Kuznetsov _(My name is Masaru Kuznetsov.)_"

"Your first name sounds like Japanese."

_"My father once traveled here and met my mother who is Japanese. After marriage, they settled in Russia and gave birth to me."_

"Interesting... And you can't speak Japanese?"

_"She didn't teach me her language since she thought it won't mean anything when we were just visiting the country like we were tourists."_

"Hmm... Next question: Who do you work for?"

_"I don't know his name. He just calls himself the bartender. I work as a hitman you see, and he hired me to kill you."_

"Me? What did I do to him?"

_"I don't know. He didn't tell me the reason. Just hunt you down and kill you."_

"Where is that client of yours?"

_"I met him at a bar somewhere in Tokyo. We discussed our business in the basement."_

_"A man in Tokyo who only referred to himself as "the bartender", huh," _ The young yakuza said in his mind, thinking about the information he received so far. _"Whoever that guy is, he wants me dead. But there is one weird thing about this..."_

"Why do you want to speak to me?" He asked Masaru while folding his arms together. It was indeed strange for a hitman wanting to speak with the target unless he had a plan to kill him here. However, Higeki focused his attention on the tortured Russian, observing to see him making the slightest suspicious movement and if he did, Higeki would be ready.

_"I'm the kind of guy who puts his curiosity first before I do my job. It's a habit of mine,"_ Masaru said with a smile while shrugging his shoulders. _"And you're really interesting. You countered my punches despite the obvious difference in strength. Well, I guess it's more of your defensive techniques than physical capabilities."_

"That's it?" Higeki asked in disbelief but maintained his composure. "That's the reason you want to talk to me?"

_"Well, yeah. Were you expecting something else?"_

"Yeah, like luring me here so you could escape from those restraints and kill me. Remembering our encounter last night, you literally crashed through a wall like it was nothing."

_"True, it is possible I can break free from something like this, but that doesn't mean I can escape this place alive. Besides, I really do want to know more about you."_

"Okay... Speaking about last night, how the hell did you find me?"

_"I just stalked you the entire day."_

_"Welp, there are some cons in just moving in broad daylight."_ The young yakuza thought and then spoke. "That's creepy but I'm not one to talk. Anyway, next question: Do you know about the Barbaros Syndicate?"

_"Yes,"_ Fuyuku grinned which made Higeki felt uneasy. _"I used to work there."_

The moment Masaru declared his answer, the young yakuza's widened in shock before getting back his calm expression.

"Is that true?"

_"Yeah, it was different from any normal mafia gang. They were all formal and traditional."_

"Traditional?"

_"Like they're following old traditions. Chinese, Mongolian, and Russian. Although, when I was still a member, it was all Chinese."_

"Ah, even in criminal gangs, they are trying to spread their authoritarianism on the underground. So why'd you quit?"

_"I quit two years ago because they had their sights on Japan,"_ Masaru's expression turned menacing when he said that. His fists curled into fists and looked down as if he was reminiscing a memory. _"I used to come here with mother many times. I love it here so I won't join their plans."_

"What exactly are they planning?"

_"I don't know their plans but I heard what their current goal is: To take over the entire criminal world in Japan and control the country from the underground."_

"So in other words, they're trying to take over Japan?" The young yakuza asked with doubt in his eyes. Anyone would find the tall Russian's statement to be unbelievable. Such a terrifying thought would make people laugh and overreact in optimism to make light of the situation. Even Higeki wanted to laugh at that ridiculous revelation, but he knew that wouldn't change the atmosphere nor reveal the claim itself as false. As he sat in silence, Masaru stared at him with a serious expression and didn't answer the question but that silence may have given him the answer already. Not a single sign of lies no matter how many seconds had passed. The young yakuza was about to speak and ask more questions but the metal door suddenly burst open. He and Masaru looked to see who it was and saw Tsuguri with an annoyed expression. While the long-haired yakuza entered and the metal door slowly closed on its own, the blonde shaved head yakuza peaked his head and silently muttered "I'm sorry" to Higeki for not stopping Tsuguri. Higeki could only sigh and manage this by himself.

"Woah, you sure gave that gaijin a good beating." Tsuguri commented on the injuries the restrained Russian had all over his body.

"I didn't do this. Those two outside tortured him last night and were about to start again an hour ago." Higeki explained with indifference.

"Yeah, figures. You're too much of a pussy to do this kind of thing," The long-haired yakuza grinned and approached the restrained Russian. He leaned forward to face him at eye level with a taunting gaze. "So what did you get from this prick."

"His name is Masaru Kuznetsov, a half-Japanese and half-Russian hitman hired by someone who only referred to himself as 'the bartender' to kill me."

"Shit, what did you do to piss that guy off?"

"I don't know. He doesn't know either but I'm still skeptical about all of his answers so far."

"Huh, well spit it out, you gaijin fucker," Tsuguri grabbed the microphone with one hand and Masaru's head with the other and glared at him for intimidation. However, Masaru fazed by neither the grab nor the glare as his expression was only pure indifference. Tsuguri's eyebrow twitched in irritation to the tortured hitman's lack of reaction, and so he pressed the question further while clutching his head harder. "I said tell us everything or else I'll-"

"He won't talk," The young yakuza interrupted his partner's outburst while taking back the microphone and faced it away from them to avoid the device from translating their conversation. "Not when you're here."

"Hah? What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means he only talks to me alone without anyone else in the room. He requested it."

"And you follow him? Seriously?"

"It's the only way to get him to talk. Besides, there's a security camera here so you can watch the recorded interrogation when I'm done."

"Tch, first the boss and the gang, now even our enemies are taking a liking to you? What kind of shit did you give them to suck your dick?"

"No one's sucking whatever. Just try to be smarter when talking to people."

"What the fuck does that mea-"

"Get out of here already," Higeki pulled the back of Tsuguri's collar of his shirt and dragged him outside surprisingly without any resistance. "You wasted enough for the interrogation. I have other things to do."

He closed the metal door shut and the two yakuza members looked at Tsuguri.

"Pfft! He dragged you out like some garbage bag." The blonde yakuza laughed while the messy-haired yakuza tried his best to resist laughing alongside his partner.

"A-And I thought he's the kid of the gang. HAHAHAHA!" His efforts were in vain as he burst out laughing. Tsuguri just sat on the floor for a few seconds as veins popped out in his head and he quickly stood up in anger and pressed the code to open the metal door. Instead of a beep, the keypad made a buzzing sound instead, meaning the code he entered was wrong. The long-haired yakuza typed the same code more furiously and it only had the same results.

"What the fuck?"

"Oh, right..." the messy-haired yakuza spoke to answer Tsuguri's confusion by showing his cellphone. "The kid texted me to change the code."

_"Did he text him while I was distracted talking to that gaijin?"_ Tsuguri thought as he gritted his teeth in anger. "And you did it without Old Man Katashi's permission? You know that he's gonna-"

"Oh, I did get permission." He then showed a brief text conversation with Katashi and the long-haired yakuza saw the text "permission granted". Tsuguri's face looked more irritated but it wasn't because of the permission the old man gave. It was the last text message Katashi sent which said "Only follow Higeki and not the dumbass".

"God fuckin-, it's always him!"

"You sound like an attention whore,"

"Shut the fuck up!"

While Tsuguri and the others were arguing, Higeki massaged his own temple and sat back down at his chair. Masaru was only quiet as he watched the young yakuza thinking, most likely about the revelation that A large criminal syndicate planned to take over the underground of Japan. After a few seconds, Higeki sighed and opened his eyes to look at the prisoner with an analyzing gaze.

"Sorry about that. My partner is not very polite nor does he know how to." Higeki spoke through the microphone for the device to translate.

_"I don't understand Japanese but I can tell that you two aren't friendly with each other, are you?"_

"We only see each other as friends at work. Outside of that? We're just strangers. Or maybe it's more appropriate to say that we're just friends when it's convenient."

_"What an odd friendship. Or do you even call it that?"_

"Doesn't matter. Now back to the important topic at hand, are you telling the truth about what you said?"

_"I lie a lot but I don't lie at something as ridiculous as this. For all these years, Japan had one of the lowest crime rates in the world because of the efforts of both the government and the yakuza. This country is basically covered from both sides and thought this country is impenetrable by foreign criminals. And that pissed off the Barbaros Syndicate... Sort of, I do remember one of the bosses mentioned something about their ancestors failed to invade Japan or whatever so it could be that."_

"Somehow, I believe the latter more since there are other countries with low crime rates. I know Finland has the lowest so why can't they target that?"

_"It is ridiculous when you think about it, but there are people living in the underground with no common sense or at some cases don't have any sanity."_

"...Why are you telling me all of this?" Higeki leaned forward to observe the restrained Russian closely. The strangest and most obvious thing throughout this entire interrogation was Masaru just answered all the questions without any hint of hesitation. What was his true purpose from this? The young yakuza couldn't believe the reason was just for his mother, and he speculated that many, if not all of the tortured hitman's answers were lies. What could this man benefit from possibly telling the truth?

_"I'm only trusting my gut and went for the right people who can handle this. I believe in the police force's abilities but let's be honest, can we really just blindly trust a man who doesn't show his face and was only recognized for his achievements? He did do some work but with a secret identity? This isn't some superhero comic where you save the day and that's it. The enigmatic detective and the vigilante, Isato are not trustworthy."_

Higeki stared at him for a few seconds in silence and then sighed. The young yakuza wouldn't be able to decide in this situation by himself so he needed help. He stood up and went to the door in silence. As he held the handle, Masaru spoke.

_"I'm still a hitman, by the way." _The young yakuza turned around to see Masaru's serious expression. _"My business is still running as long as you pay me a good amount."_

"...I'll think about that." And with that, Higeki exited the room, leaving the restrained hitman. After closing the metal door, he only stood still while staring at the door handle in contemplation of the interrogation. Higeki turned around only to see his partner and the other two yakuza members staring at him with widened eyes and bruises on their faces. They seemed to be fighting each other in a two against one with Tsuguri pointing a katana between them while the other two raised their fist as if they were ready to fight. Higeki blinked twice and just walked away with indifference to the strange scene. Meanwhile, the three watched him climbing the stairs and after a few seconds, Tsuguri went after him.

"Hey, wait up, you jackass!" He ran but before he could climb the stairs, the man in yukata shouted.

"Give me back my katana, you bastard!"

* * *

"Basically, they're planning a gang war," Katashi spoke while smoking a cigarette and Higeki sat on a couch listening to the old man's words. Tsuguri sat beside him with folded arms and looked at Katashi while thinking about his partner's information he extracted from the Russian.

"We still don't know if the syndicate's plan involves facing us directly so we can't say for certain they would start a gang war." Higeki rebutted.

"If they're trying to fuck with us, we'll definitely go to war." Tsuguri said while clasping his fists together.

"You're right, if they think we'll let them crawl their way under our feet and choke us to death, they won't get away in one piece." The old man took out a cellphone from his pocket and made a call while exiting the room. "Excuse me while I call oyabun."

"Things are getting crazy, huh?" Tsuguri commented while scratching his head. "And it's only been a month since we joined and this is happening."

"Do I hear you complaining about chaos which is something that you found it fun?" Higeki said in a bored tone while looking at his own phone.

"Hey, I'm just saying shit's escalating too fast. That doesn't mean I won't enjoy it though."

"Of course you would."

"But do you think everything that gaijin said was true?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking Katashi-san to make the decision."

"Yeah, it's hard to believe those guys are stupid enough to try to fuck with us. I guess the real question is what kinds of shitty plans are they going with to do this."

"In my case, doing it step by step."

"What do you mean?"

"They can't just do the usual roaming around selling drugs and kill in the dark. This country is covered on both sides. What the syndicate needs to do is going with an even smaller plan, either by sending one person to do the job or dig deeper into the underground until we can't follow them."

"Those are plausible," Katashi entered the room after the call and sat back down on the couch facing the two yakuza members. He picked up the cigarette box to pull out another cigarette and smoked. "Whether we believe it or not, there is a fact that the Barbaros Syndicate sent a group here and trespassed in business."

"Kyoto..." Tsuguri muttered which still reached their ears and the young yakuza flinched by his word. They turned towards Higeki who appeared to be calm but on the inside, his mind was spiraling with twisted thoughts. After a few seconds of silence, the old man continued.

"That small group in Kyoto that this kid cleaned up gave us a sigh of relief. Not only he exposed the syndicate trying to mess with this country, but he also reprimanded many small gangs that weren't part of any yakuza clans. And those gangs were negotiating with them which made them in cahoots with the syndicate. The question is how did the syndicate slipped past our eyes and sneaked in one of our territories."

"And then there is this 'bartender' guy who wants Higeki dead." The long-haired yakuza added. "Maybe that guy has a connection with him?"

"Maybe... But we don't have time for speculations. Right now, we need to take measures," Katashi exhaled the smoke and held his chin in thought. "That's what oyabundecided. How, you ask? The only thing we can do is double the patrols, double the security, and double the efforts of all the people here. We'll also be trying to contact other yakuza clans to help us with this situation."

"Woah, woah, woah, isn't that a little extreme for just basing off of a dumbfuck Russian bastard who tried to kill us?" Tsuguri said while standing up in shock at the old man's proposal.

"I agree. We can't tell if he's telling the truth or not," Higeki agreed with his partner's statement. "If by any chance this is all for nothing, we could be wasting resources and time. We can increase some of the securities and patrols, but isn't contacting other clans a bit too much?"

"We're now facing a situation with a lot of uncertainties," Katashi rebutted with a serious expression. "If we don't take this seriously, the Barbaros Syndicate will succeed before we would even notice it. We're not taking any chances."

"But-" Higeki attempted to speak but the old man already stood up after squashing the cigarette on the ashtray and left the room.

"That is all. You can now go do your jobs." He said his final words before closing the door, leaving the two yakuza members alone in the room. Both were silent as they thought about everything that had happened so far today. Tsuguri just stared up on the ceiling while Higeki closed his eyes to recollect his thoughts. After a few moments, the long-haired haired yakuza spoke.

"Oi..."

"What?" Higeki asked.

"The old man was acting weird, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, for him and the boss to go to such lengths based on speculations and uncertain information. There must be something else going on."

"What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you gonna go full detective and solve this mystery or some shit?"

"... No, we just need to rely on Katashi-san and the boss and hope for the best."

"Welp, it's your orders."

"Since when did I became a leader."

"Dude, you're the one who's bossing me around no matter how irritating and how much I want to kill you on the spot."

"I don't act like a leader," Higeki stood up and his partner followed as they exited the room. "A babysitter could be more appropriate."

"Hah?!"

* * *

"Are you sure about this, oyabun?" A man wearing a black sharp suit spoke. He had grey slicked-back hair and had a small tattoo of a dragon on the right side of his neck spreading to his cheek. He stood in the middle of a room with a fancy red carpet under his feet and looking at an old man sitting on a black office chair in front of a large wooden desk.

"I know for a fact that HE'S the one who is pulling the strings. There's no one else who knows how we and other Yakuza clans move other than him," Oyabun spoke while massaging his temple with one finger. He was fully bald and his face had wrinkles. His attire consisted of a kimono with red and green flower patterns that was draped over his shoulders and a black yukata. "And now he's after the boy's life. He's really gone insane."

"You really favored Hiki-... Higeki Yuudai, huh?"

"Yeah, he's an interesting kid," The old man in yukata stood up and turned around to stare at the city in the night. "For years, after majority thought that there was no need for people like the yakuza, many clans have their number of members declined or worse, they disbanded The new laws restrained our actions and made our businesses hard to manage without facing a penalty. Back then, a lot of young people dreamed of joining gangs, wear fancy suits, and scare bystanders for the hell of it. Now, they're afraid of us because the current law will put them in jail and their social status would crash down. Even if our power and influence is still strong across the country, the era,... even the presence of the yakuza will soon end."

"Oyabun..."

"When I was young and joined this clan, I became brothers with other members and comrades and oyabun was our father. We weren't some crime organization, we were family even though our blood is different from each other. I've experienced what brotherhood was in my early days and but when I became the boss, I couldn't experience fatherhood like oyabun because our recruits were so few that all of our members are the people from our time. Many of our brothers left us to have a better life and we respect their decision at the cost of the family shrinking even more. Don't you think it would be weird if I call someone in his 50s 'my son'? What if I call you a son?"

"It would sound strange considering I'm the one taking care of small yet dumb choices from the current head of this clan."

"Oi,"

"So do you see Higeki-kun as your son?"

"That's where I'm going with this conversation. And no matter how much I hate the idea, I consider Tsuguri as my son too even though he has a few shits loose in his head."

"Tsuguri-kun and Higeki-kun, huh? I don't think they would like the idea that they're brothers of this clan."

"Well, they don't have a choice since they joined this gang so refusing the relationship is not an option..." The oyabun closed his eyes in contemplation of a certain memory. A memory that led to the present time.

_..._

_"What a weird kid," The old man mumbled as he looked at the young teenage boy sitting in a wheelchair while wearing a hospital gown with bandages wrapped around his head and a cast on his left arm. He held a kitchen knife shakingly with only his right hand that was covered in blood. Meanwhile, the old man wore a grey topcoat over a black sharp suit and a grey fedora hat._

_"What's your name?" The old man asked while kneeling down to look at him at eye level. The young boy only looked down with widened eyes, not releasing the tiniest sound of his voice. Despite the blade of the knife covered in blood, it still reflected his eyes. A minute had passed as there was only silence between them until the old man spoke while analyzing the boy's current state. "Can't talk? That's gonna be a pain in the ass for me. What's even more of a pain is you getting involved in this shitstorm. You don't look like an assassin out to kill me or some kind of spy in disguise. Are you seriously just a hospitalized kid in a wheelchair who only came here to help me?"_

_"..." The boy continued to remain silent and raised his head to look at the old man with widened eyes. The man with a fedora could see the pain and fear the boy had which he expected that expression considering what they did tonight. But that also confused the old man as to why would this hospitalized teenager committed this act._

_"Am I going to take that as a yes?" He scratched the back of his head in frustration at this young stranger's mysterious action and identity. "For your sake, I'll keep all this a secret as long you shut your mouth, understand?"_

_Surprisingly, the boy responded only with a nod and quickly dropped the knife to rub his own hands together as if they were shivering from the cold temperature. The old man stood up and walked behind the boy and pushed the wheelchair to move forward._

_"Alright, let's take you back to your room and pretend nothing happened," With that, they exited the room while passing by a few dead bodies wearing suits and weapons such as guns and knives. "Is your room in this floor? Since I doubt you can go downstairs smoothly with a wheelchair. Speaking of which, were you sleeping in a wheelchair the entire night? Or can you move your legs and walked towards it?"_

_"I... can still feel my legs," The young boy finally spoke which made the old man paused. "The screams... and the sound of gun firing woke me up... and I think everyone in the building woke up from that too... so I tried my best to move my legs but I could only raise them and get out of the bed... The wheelchair is right next to me... so..."_

_"Is that right?" The old man continued to push the wheelchair and moved forward in the hallway. While the teenage boy looked down, contemplating on a certain topic, the old man noticed an open door at the end of the hallway and it slid closed quickly after being a few feet closer to that room. "I guess they really are awake."_

_He stopped right in front of the closed door and knocked it twice before hearing a woman's muffled gasp inside._

_"Excuse me miss, but please don't tell anyone about this." After a few seconds without a response on the other side, he was about to continue their way until the boy spoke._

_"How are you so sure... she and everyone else won't tell."_

_"Hmm... you're right, but I can twist the story in my favor." The old man said with a smirk but the boy couldn't see the expression he wore._

_"What do you mean?..." the boy turned his head to look at him with a confused expression._

_"Oh yeah, forgot to introduce myself," The old man stopped and walked to the front and knelt down to stare at his dead-fish eyes with a grin. "My name is Minamoto Hiroshi, the current head of the Yamaguchi-gumi."_

_"... a yakuza?"_

_"Yup, what's your name?"_

_"..." The boy hesitated for a moment before raising his hand to point to the side. The old man name Minamoto looked in the direction he was pointing to see a nameplate of a hospital room that said..._

_"Hikigaya... Hachiman?" Minamoto stood up to read the nameplate and turned to Hikigaya with widened eyes and knelt down in front of him. He then gave the boy a focusing gaze while holding both of his cheeks to keep his head in place. Hikigaya raised an eyebrow until the old man spoke. "So you're the kid, huh?"_

_"W-What are you talking about?" Hikigaya asked but he knew what Minamoto was saying. Deep in his mind, the boy hoped the head of a yakuza clan didn't know who he really was, and yet the possibility was high since Minamoto may have the sort of power to access information. Endless speculation and fear surfaced in his thoughts and it seemed Minamoto noticed that based on the boy's expression._

_"First, let's go inside the room," The old man stood up and pushed Hikigaya's wheelchair into his room and closed the sliding door. "Hajime... Oh, wait, didn't he change his name to Ojin? Whatever. That guy told me about you. How he was 'developing' you or some weird shit he was spouting."_

_"I should've known," Hikigaya curled his hand into a fist and slammed the armrest of his wheelchair. "You're with him, and all this is another one of his-"_

_"No, I just came here of my own will to visit a friend of mine here. It was pure coincidence." Minamoto put both of his hands to the boy's shoulders. "I see, so you had some screws loose. Not saying you're fucking crazy or anything... well, you are kinda crazy charging like that back there but y'know, like, there's something wrong with your head... other than that injury wrapped in bandages but you get me? Fuck, sometimes I can't say things right. Listen, I want you to join me."_

_"To... where?" The boy asked with uncertainty and confusion mixed in his tone._

_"Join my clan, so you can escape from that bastard's schemes. You don't have to do anything, we'll shelter you until he loses interest...I guess that's more of asking you to let me babysit you than joining as a yakuza."_

_"And how long will that be?"_

_"I don't know," The old man answered while shaking his head. "That man is just too unpredictable and insane for normal people like us to read that goddamn head of his. And by the looks of it, I doubt you can hold on to his antics much longer."_

_"Why are you helping me?"_

_"To return the favor... And for once, to piss that fucker off." Minamoto grinned and coughed lightly before continuing his persuasion. "Consider this my payment to your debt in helping me back there."_

_Hikigaya remained silent for a moment, contemplating the old man's offer while looking down on the floor. The head of the yakuza clan stared at him in anticipation of his answer. He truly wanted to have the boy join him not just because to protect him, but he was also curious what this young vigilante could do and how he would contribute to the organization. Although Minamoto offered him only protection and not exactly join the clan, he would find an opportunity to convince the boy to work for him and the old man thought that would happen soon considering Ojin's personality. Minamoto's desire to repay the boy was genuine but with a selfish reason behind it. Hikigaya looked up with a determined look and told his answer._

_"Okay, I accept the offer."_

_"Alright, then. So-"_

_"But there are two things that I want." He interrupted Minamoto in which the old man nodded. "One; When I'm fully healed, I'll join the clan not as someone being sheltered but as a real yakuza."_

_"Wait, seriously?" the head of the yakuza clan asked him in shock to the suggestion. His eyes widened and blinked twice. "But how long till you're recovered, though?"_

_"Soon enough, surprisingly..." The injured vigilante caressed his forehead that was wrapped in bandages. "Doctor said it was a miracle I could even alk and move my legs in a short amount of time. I'm glad my body isn't normal."_

_"Everything about you isn't normal."_

_"True. As for my second condition, I want a name change."_

_"What?"_

_"If you have the ability to do so, I want a new identity. Burn all of my records, documents, everything about me if you can."_

_"I'm pretty sure I can do that as long as you're patient enough. That request will take some careful management and trying not to get caught, but I'll work it out. Why do you want to change your identity?"_

_"If I'm going to work as a yakuza, I don't want my family to get harassed and be seen as a family of a criminal."_

_"If that's the case, do you want me to give your family protection too?"_

_"No need, the identity change should be enough."_

_"How are you so sure Ojin won't go after your family?"_

_"He won't. Do you know how many times I tried to ignore every crime that is obviously crafted by him? One way or another, he'll bring me into a situation that forces me to get involved but in all of those situations, he didn't put my family in danger for the sake of what goals he has for me. So it's fine."_

_"I don't think that's enough to prove your claim." Minamoto shook his head in disagreement with the young boy's claim. "It's better if I send at least two of my men to observe-"_

_"No offense, Minamoto-san, but I don't trust you completely yet. You'll gain my trust if you keep your end of the bargain."_

_"...Pfft! HAHAHAHAHA!" The head of the yakuza clan laughed loudly that echoed in the silent hospital. He couldn't help but clutch his stomach to resist the pain from laughing so hard at Hikigaya's statement. Minamoto took a few deep breaths, shed a tear on the corner of his eye, and tapped Hikigaya's shoulder repeatedly in amusement. "Fuck! y-you're a stupid kid. You accepted my offer, proposed two conditions BEFORE you say you don't trust me? What the fuck was the point of this discussion if you don't trust me in the end? Haha... Whoo! Okay..."_

_"This is desperation, nothing more," Hikigaya answered while clutching the armrest. "I'm running out of options. At this point, I might as well kill myself than just keeping up with all the nonsense that has happened to me."_

_"And who's to blame for that? Ojin? Or you? He may be the one who got his eyes on you, but you were the dumbass who went in dangerous shit as if you're the hero. Do you regret what you've done so far even though it helped a lot of people?"_

_"Funny you say that, because the last time I saved someone, it didn't really give the right happy ending. I want to get out of this scary life of a vigilante so I guess I do regret it."_

_"You don't sound like it."_

_"I'm still not sure if regret is the right word when I'm thinking about my actions. I got myself into trouble even if I'm still injured, but before that, all the fears I had every time I charged into those things didn't bother me after facing them. I guess I just didn't see where all of this is going, and that I was doing it for a selfish reason."_

_"Is that so? Alright then, one last chance, kid. Do you trust me on this or not?"_

_"I trust you for only 45 percent."_

_"... You really are dumb, are you?"_

_..._

"He's a really dumb kid," The old man said while chuckling. "Can you believe someone like him exists?"

"Well, there are many people around the world who would be that desperate for something." The man in the suit spoke. "But I see what you mean. For him to choose this despite knowing what kind of job this is, would take a person with either guts, less sanity in his mind, or maybe just pure stupidity."

"It's all of the above." Minamoto held his chin in thought and remembered the young yakuza's appearance in their first encounter. He then walked towards a metal drawer and pulled the top open. As he looked at the documents, the head of the yakuza grabbed one and opened the document to read. "His frontal lobe is damaged from a bullet graze. It was one hell of a miracle he survived, even more so that he's recovered"

"The boy has quite the abnormal body, hasn't he?"

"More like he has an abnormal fucking head."

"So did his head injury gave him a mental disorder?"

"Obviously, bad case of PTSD after getting grazed in the head and all other fucked up shit Ojin did to him. It's understandable for his wish to escape the cause of all his current problems by asking a stranger. If I give that offer to a normal person, he would be more likely to refuse or at least give it some thought. Hell, a normal person would ask more questions about out of suspicion but all it took for Higeki was a few seconds and he accepted it by working under me as a yakuza."

"With all the difficulties Higeki-kun had in hospital treatment and his struggle in playing in Ojin's game, his mind really snapped."

"Yeah, and according to this, he needs another month of cognitive behavior therapy. I doubt his life would be back to normal once this shit blows over. He's already digging too deep underground. In any case, his PTSD didn't hinder his job and he's surprisingly doing well. Either the kid's improving or he's really good at hiding it."

"I see," Before they could discuss any further, the landline telephone on the oyabun's desk rang in which he answered the call.

"Hello?" Minamoto asked. A moment of silence ensued as the man in suit waited patiently while looking at his watch that was worn on his left wrist. After a few seconds, the old man spoke. "A week off? Well, yeah, I'll allow it. It's almost Christmas after all... No, wait. Let me think about this for a second."

"What's the problem?" The man asked.

"Higeki requested a week off for Christmas."

"It's understandable since the holiday is near but with the current situation against the Barbaros Syndicate, I doubt we should relax yet."

"And we're just talking about his mental issues. Depending on where he was going, a week off means he'll have to skip his therapy weekend. I'm still having doubts about his health improvement. What should I do, Hiroto?"

"In my opinion, the most logical option is to decline his request but this is your decision and I will trust whatever you choose." The man name Hiroto said his opinion and Minamoto sighed as he contemplated while holding his chin. As of now, they didn't have much information about the syndicate's actions since their only source was from a Russian hitman who may or may not be lying during the interrogation. Intensifying patrol and security measures was the right call in his opinion but that could be a waste of time and manpower as they were moving with paranoia and there might be a chance they were worrying for nothing. Letting one member like Hikigaya take a week off wouldn't affect the operations, but what concerned him more was Higeki's current state. Was the boy's health truly improved? Or was it all a facade to hide his true problem? The old man shook his head and dismissed his thoughts as paranoia.

"Did he say where he was going for the week off?" The old man asked the person on the other side of the landline. He already figured out where Higeki would go but he needed to be sure. The person answered which left him unsatisfied. "I see... Fine, I'll allow it. That is all."

"Where is he going to spend the week off?" Hiroto asked.

"He didn't tell though it's pretty much an obvious guess."

"Chiba... Would he be alright? Ojin is still working in the Chiba Police Department so the moment he catches wind that Higeki-san even stepped into the region, he'll surely-"

"I know, but still..." Minamoto sat back to his office chair and folded his arms. "I don't want the kid to get involved in this conflict. He's already been through enough."

"Higeki-kun completed his jobs quickly and well. He already acts as the official member of our clan so something like this should be nothing."

"Yeah... If this was decades ago, I would've agreed with you. But times changed. This modern era is not as simple as solving things with violence. It's gonna take a lot more than the usual 'punching the assholes'. It's fine. He deserves the rest and escapes from a gang war."

"Yes, oyabun."

"And besides, there are a few people I trust in the department that can protect the kid. It's all up to us now so let's get to it. Our clan won't fucking move in Japan if all we do is talking."

* * *

"Whoo! That was a nice night," A man with blonde, slick-back hair spoke. He wore a black, zipped, puffer jacket and a pair of jeans. His right arm was around the shoulders of a woman with straight blonde hair who wore a white fur coat. They were both laughing loudly and seemed to be drunk as their movements were flimsy and faces were red.

"I'll make an even better night for you." The woman said seductively while giggling and hugging his chest. "My apartment is not that far, y'know?"

"Heeeh~?" The man grinned as they walked in the empty streets at night to reach a rundown apartment and climbed the rusty metal stairs. The woman pulled the man's sleeve, telling him to stop in front of a door which meant that this was her room. She opened her purse and grabbed the apartment key, inserting it into the keyhole below the doorknob, and noticed something odd. When she twisted the key, it didn't make a sound that indicated the door was unlocked so she grabbed the door handle, and to her surprise, it opened. The drunk man noticed her expression, and he was about to ask but she suddenly ran inside the dark apartment room and flipped the light switch. What she saw as the light turned made her eyes widened and her face growing pale. The drunk man slowly went inside to look at the room. It was small and there were garbage bags littered on the floor. He looked in front to see the drunk woman standing still which made him raised an eyebrow in confusion. As he walked closer behind her, the drunk man tilted his head to see what she was looking at and saw two men wearing black sharp suits sitting in seiza under the tamaki while drinking green tea in the traditional cup.

"Oh, you finally arrived," The suspicious man with bandages wrapped around his forehead and left hand spoke.

"You sure took you sweet time. What have you been up to?" The other suspicious man with a ponytail spoke. "And I thought this poor little baby is abandoned or something. Aren't you fucking embarrassed as a mom?"

He pointed with his thumb behind him to give attention to a wooden cradle with a sleeping baby only wearing a diaper. Higeki stood up and walked towards the drunk pair as he grabbed the woman's shoulder and touched the man's chest with his index finger.

"You're not the husband, are you? Just some sex partner?"

"Well, I-" Before he could answer, the young yakuza spoke.

"In that case, please leave. My partner and I have a... rough business with this lady," Higeki then lightly held his neck with a menacing glare. "Unless you want to join, then it's fine. It won't change what happens next anyway."

"U-Uh, I'm a-actually was just about to leave so-"

"Wait!" The woman suddenly grabbed the man's left arm tightly which made him yelled in pain. "Please don't leave! I-I'll-"

"S-Sorry, but I have something to do! Take care!" He pushed her away and quickly exited the room, leaving her with the two yakuza members. The woman knelt down and cried until she spoke between sobs.

"Y-You're not the same people who used to collect my debt."

"We came here on behalf of them because they were busy elsewhere," Higeki spoke while squatting down to look at her within eye level. "We are from the same group but if you don't believe us and want proof, I can contact your collector and-"

"No! I-It's fine..." The woman stuttered in fear after he pulled out his cellphone in his pocket.

"Welp, you already know why we came here," Tsuguri stood up while stretching his neck. "So pay up."

"I-... I don't have enough-"

"The fuck? It's already 5 months, you dumb bitch. We ain't waiting till the debt goes one million yen."

"Uuwwuu..." The voice of the baby gained their attention and turned around to see him opened his eyes. Tears began to appear and he let out a loud cry. This made Higeki scratch his cheek because of how awkward the situation for him and couldn't ignore the baby's cries while Tsuguri inserted both index fingers in his ears to protect himself from the annoying sound. The woman could only look down for a few seconds until Higeki called her.

"Hey, uuhh, can you please comfort your baby?" He said while scratching his cheek and the woman hesitated for a moment until she complied. She stood up and approached the wooden cradle, grabbed a pacifier, and inserted it into the baby's mouth. It didn't work as the baby spat out the pacifier and continued crying. The two yakuza couldn't see her expression but based on how slow her movements were, and how much she curled her hands into fists every time her child spat the pacifier out of his mouth. The woman grunted in annoyance that reached their ears. After the seventh, more aggressive attempt to calm the baby with a pacifier, Higeki grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the baby. "The baby won't stop if you keep doing that."

"Shut up!" The woman shouted angrily while pulled her arm to escape his grasp. "You felt bad for this brat and not me?!"

"What?..." Both yakuza members were taken aback by her response. From her angry shout to referring to her child as a "brat", It was very clear to them that this woman lost her mind. Before Higeki could speak, Tsuguri stepped in with an irritated expression and pulled the woman's hair painfully as she screamed and resisted.

"If I remember right, before one of our loan sharks got his eyes on you, you were already a bitch," He said while swatting away her hands that were slapping him. "And then you got pregnant, you and your fuck buddy got married for the sake of the kid. But in the end, you're a fucking slut, desperate to enjoy all the shit here by yourself while he was working his ass off."

"And then he left me after one of your fuckheads ruined everything!"

"Pfft, what a fucking liar. The day before our loan shark spotted you, Your husband left after he found out you've been hanging around with other dumbasses. And you're asking why we feel worse about your baby than you? Get a reality check while you pay up the debt, will you?"

"I told you! I don't have enough money." The woman gritted her teeth while still struggling to escape his grasp of her hair. "I promise I'll pay you back! Promise!"

"I wonder how many times you promised that to our pal. We're not waiting for shit!"

"T-Then take everything!" She ran desperately towards the drawers and threw out all her clothes, cheap accessories such as earrings and rings. She even took off her fur coat and expensive red dress to reveal her black lingerie. "Surely t-this is enough to b-buy the debt."

"I highly doubt these would even reach 50,000 yen." Higeki commented as he picked up a wedding ring.

"Then... then how about I'll use my body instead! I'll even work as a prostitute in one of your brothels!"

"Doesn't sound like a punishment considering what you've been doing so far. How are we going to settle this?" The young yakuza asked his partner who was staring at the woman's body.

"Well, she got a nice bod-"

"Tsuguri."

"Shut up, I know. Why the fuck did he give us this kind of work?" Tsuguri scratched the back of his head and sighed in frustration at their job. "Let's just take all the accessories and that expensive dress she threw on the ground."

"I doubt it would cover her debt."

"Doesn't matter, the loan shark will get the rest next time. And this bitch got the message the next time she won't pay." The long-haired yakuza pointed at her with his thumb. The woman gritted her teeth and slowly turned her head around to look at the infant who was still crying in the cradle. Veins appeared on her head and averted her eyes back to the two yakuza members as they began taking her accessories and other materials they thought as valuables and had good money to sell. She walked unsteadily towards the cradle and held her child's neck. All the memories she had that led to this current circumstance flashed in her mind, each memory increased her rage and frustration a hundredfold.

_..._

_"BLEAAH!" A naked woman vomited on the toilet._

_"Hey, are you alright?!" The voice of a man shouted and knocked on the door in worry for her situation._

_"Yeah... I'm fine..." She lied. She wasn't fine. What the woman discovered within herself destroyed the views of her life in an instant. Worries, doubts, fears, all negative emotions surfaced in her mind and formed into one, guaranteed, life-ruining mental state._

_Anxiety._

_What was the reason for this situation? It all began when she discovered the world of lust, money, and paradise called "prostitution". While many argued that such a profession was a pernicious form of violence against women due to men's desire for sexual gratification, others saw the benefits such as the profit prostitutes made compared to other professions and became an economic plus, and of course, the joy of committing sexual acts. This woman took the latter's side. When she first experienced it in her early high school days, it was terrible. However, when her first customer gave her the money, she saw the worth in this kind of job. Years had passed and she continued her work and pursuit of pleasure. She slept with all kinds of men: From a young client to an old man, and from Japanese to foreigners. So many men, so much profit. The man who was outside of the bathroom door was one of her favorites. He gave her large sums of money and the payment never dwindled, and sleeping with him was euphoric. She could tell this man was in love with her, but she didn't bear the same towards him. So when he confessed to her, the only logical answer was to reject. However, a thought surfaced in the woman's mind that if she did, she would lose one of her best customers and friend with benefits. After a few seconds of hesitation, she decided to accept and now they became a couple._

_It was a decent experience._

_Going out on dates, enjoying even the most peaceful romantic moments, heartwarming kisses. She found the joy of being in a relationship._

_As a way to kill time..._

_She didn't harbor any romantic feelings for this man. Despite dating for three years, there wasn't a single development in her heart. Again, the reason she accepted the confession was so her favorite friend with benefits wouldn't leave her. Even the day before now, she had been sleeping with other men behind her "lover's" back. She just couldn't let go of the pleasure in seducing men and gaining profit out of every night she slept with them. While it was nice her "lover" provided them so much money from his job, it wasn't as satisfying as earning them herself with her own "job". Add that with their current savings provided by him, they would have no trouble living somewhere luxurious. In short, it was all an act of greed and lust for this woman as she continued her prostitution. However, this would come to an end because of a serious and heavy miscalculation on her part._

_She was pregnant._

_And even worse was that she didn't know who the father might be._

_She must've slipped when she was sleeping with one of her customers while drunk although there was still a possibility her "boyfriend" could be the father. Whoever may be, her life would be ruined._

_"You sure?" The man asked and he heard a toilet flushing. A door opened to reveal herself with a fake smile._

_"Don't worry about it!" She reassured him while kissing him on the cheek. "I just had too much alcohol from last night, that's all."_

_And so she decided to hide her pregnancy and planned an abortion in secret. She wasn't ready to take on such a responsibility, nor did she intend to do so in the future._

_..._

_However, the woman had no choice but to take that responsibility._

_Because her "boyfriend" found out through discovering the abortion papers. It led to a heated argument between the couple and it only tilted in the man's favor._

_"Why are you hiding this from me?!" The man yelled angrily while showing her the paper._

_"Because I don't want to ruin both our lives! Do you really think we can take care of a child this early?!"_

_"Yes, we can!"_

_..._

**Her grip on the baby's neck tightened.**

_..._

_"If you're worried about money, I can cover that for us." The man said while sitting down on a bed._

_"It's not about savings and shit! This is life-changing, can't you see? How are we supposed to tell our parents about this?!"_

_"I know this is terrifying but..."_

_..._

**The infant's cries turned into a sound of struggling to breathe.**

_..._

_"... To me, killing a life is even worse."_

_..._

**She didn't feel any guilt. Only satisfaction, relief, and rage surfaced inside as she stared at her child's expression with contempt.**

_..._

_"We've been dating for years now, so maybe we could get-"_

_..._

"What the hell?!" Higeki shouted which broke her train of thought. While he was picking up a piece of clothing on the floor, the young yakuza turned around to witness the woman strangling the infant with one hand. And so, he rushed towards them and punched the woman in the cheek without hesitation nor holding back his strength which made her tumble on the floor. Because of how small the room was, she hit the wall on her back and gasped in pain. Higeki glared at her before hearing the baby crying once again and he released a sigh of relief knowing that he was alive. He then went back to the woman who leaned on the wall and covered her mouth as she spat some of her broken teeth due to his punch. Tsuguri watched the whole scene and glared at her.

"You're more fucked up than I thought." The long-haired yakuza commented.

"And who's... fault was that?" The woman fired back, only to be met with a kick in the face by Higeki.

"You're blaming us? Well, that's understandable," He grabbed her neck and pulled closer to him, forcing the woman to stand up while struggling to breathe. "Our clan did contribute to your suffering. But before all that, you already fucked your life over!"

The moment Higeki shouted, he slammed her against the wall with his expression slowly showing anger and contempt. The woman attempted to break free by grabbing and punching his face, but none of her efforts seemed to work as he was unfazed by them. While still strangling her neck, Higeki pulled her and then slammed her again to the wall. The woman coughed in pain as it became more difficult for her to breathe. But instead of showing fear, she grinned which showed her broken teeth on the left side, and tried her best to laugh despite the young yakuza's tight strangle to her neck. This confused the two yakuza members and so Higeki weakened the grip slightly to make her speak.

"What the fuck is so funny?" He asked angrily.

"Of course... I'm blaming you assholes... I'm really trying my best to... take care of my son... ALONE! But then you fuckers showed up... to ruin everything!"

"Right, trying your best by wasting your body away and ignoring him for a full day without hiring a babysitter. How very nice of you."

"Ha... Hahaha... You fucking yakuza... just find whoever's the easiest to rip someone apart." The woman spat on his face and laughed. "And now you're all acting like you're the good guys. What kind of hypocritic bullshit is that! Haha... hahahahaha!"

"AHAHAHAHA!" Higeki suddenly burst out laughing along with her which made his partner unsettled.

_"What the hell is happening to him?"_ Tsuguri wondered in his mind while staring at the woman who looked confused and terrified by Higeki's weird response to her statement. Higeki then punched her in the stomach and pummeled her into the floor all while still laughing hysterically.

"That's... Haha! That's right! It really is funny!" Higeki said while punching her in the face. "In the end, we're a group of criminals just doing a lot of dirty work. Hahaha!"

"Oi!" Tsuguri tried to call out to him, but Higeki suddenly shouted in anger as he grabbed her hair to pull her face close to him.

"BUT UNLIKE YOU, WE'RE HELPING THIS SHITTY PLACE!" He then struck her face with his left knee, punched her left side, and threw her into the drawers. Various memories flashed in his mind with each step he took to approach the bruised and bloodied woman.

** ##$#$%#$ It's all my fault)_#)$)_)$%_)# # #!(#$&**

**^*%&^#%^$^$#^$&*%%(%^*& Why is our son so...#$()#($()%_#)$( )#_ **

**)(#$_)! ()(#$#$ #*#$ It's better if I leave them (#)($(()*#$**

**)(#$*#$(*#$ #($ #%$ HOW COULD YOU!(#$)($# #**

**#$*(*# Why did you chose him and not-...#$%$ #%$%#**

**#$$$^ ###You're (*&$&%^*&& not a hEr0#$^$6**

"SNAP OUT OF IT, DUMBASS!" Tsuguri punched him in the face to stop him from going too far. Tsuguri did say to himself he found new enjoyment in working as yakuza with one of his job could involve killing but that was because it brought actual merits to both himself and the clan. The long-haired yakuza may be insane, but not to the point he'd commit killing like a psychopath. His murder of their enemies last night was all part of his job and an act of self-defense since those enemies were also committed to killing the two yakuza members. Tsuguri kill people when it was part of a job or situation demanded it. Although, his main problem with that was there were some cases he couldn't see why letting the enemy live would have more benefits as such with what happened last night. Just like he said:

_"Morals won't mean shit when you're in a shitty situation."_

However, that didn't mean one should lose sanity and the ability to see what the appropriate action would be to those shitty situations. Bloodshed was part of Tsuguri's job and he enjoyed it, but it wasn't the only thing he could do in his job as a yakuza. And so he saw Higeki's tantrum as unreasonable and unnecessary. He did give him the advice on having the courage to kill not only when his life was on the line, but when it brought merit to all sides. This wasn't one of them.

"The fuck is wrong with you?" Tsuguri glared at him. "Did your head really fucked you up?"

The only response he received was Higeki staring at him with dilated pupils while tilting his head. Along with the overstretching silence, this made Tsuguri irritated and afraid at the same time. He already suspected during their first week as partners that Higeki had PTSD after the Kyoto incident and those suspicions were confirmed at their first few jobs they were assigned but he thought he was wrong after Higeki's progress and becoming adept in working as a yakuza. Now, this proved Higeki's mental condition and despite having this sort of commitment to kill, it was more because of his broken mind than fully doing his job as a yakuza.

"So Kyoto really fucked you, huh? You should've just stayed in a hospital and get therapy." The long-haired yakuza said with a smirk but Higeki remained silent and just slowly approached him with arms hanging down as if they were paralyzed. Tsuguri didn't retreat nor show any signs of fear for his partner's insanity. "What did she say to make you go apeshit? Is it about us not being the actual good guys?"

Higeki flinched and stopped in his next step.

"What's so shocking about that? We're really not the good guys. Just a bunch of criminals doing things like we're in a business company. You're just throwing a tantrum over the dumbest shit. And besides right now, what you're doing is not how a good guy should act."

Higeki tilted slightly to stare down at the woman who was crying while holding both knees.

"And didn't you say you gave up on that heroic shit? What, do you wanna go back to that? Not after what you've been through? But shit, I don't know what happened after Kyoto and I ain't asking if you're that bothered." Tsuguri then approached him and grabbed the upper front of his shirt. "But don't put all that fucking issue you have to me or that woman. It's either you get the fuck out or I'll kill you."

"Hey..." The young yakuza suddenly spoke but his attention wasn't towards his partner but to the woman. "Hey... woman..."

"Eh?" The woman in mention looked at Higeki with a terrified and beaten-up expression.

"Did you tell your parents about this?" He asked with a low and exhausted tone. The woman averted her gaze from him and didn't answer. Tsuguri repeatedly turned to look between her and Higeki in confusion.

"Did you tell them about what you've been doing in those past years?" Higeki continued to ask further and the only response he received was only silence. After what felt like an hour of waiting for something to shift the atmosphere, Higeki held Tsuguri's wrist of his hand that was holding the shirt and sighed. "Let's go and take the valuables. We're done here."

"Hah?" Tsuguri's confusion grew as he watched the young yakuza walked towards the door.

"I'll get something to carry as a bag." Higeki spoke and pulled open the door but before he could exit the apartment room, the woman answered his questions.

"No," She said in such a soft voice while wiping a tear on the corner of her eye. Her answer stopped Higeki from taking one step outside and clutched the doorknob tightly. The woman slowly stood up with shaky legs and approached her child who was still crying throughout the entire scene. She carried the baby and let his chin rest on her and shoulder while she caressed his head with a hand and rubbed his back with the other. All to comfort her son. Tsuguri looked even more confused by this. How did Higeki know or even speculated about her parents, especially when his PTSD was triggered and hit her earlier? And was Higeki ignoring him throughout his whole speech? The long-haired yakuza then noticed something on the floor right next to where the woman was lying when Higeki threw her into the drawer.

It was a picture frame of a man and a woman sitting and leaning very close to each other on a bench under a cherry blossom tree. In the middle between them was a little girl with black hair tied into a pigtail and she held their parents' hands.

_"It must've fell when he threw her to the drawer. So that's how he guessed it?"_ Tsuguri thought as his partner returned with an empty sack in his hand. The two yakuza members were all silent while picking up whatever they found to be useful to sell. The infant son finally calmed down and was now sleeping around her mother's arms. Higeki and even Tsuguri didn't bother to strike a conversation with her nor with each other and so, they exited the apartment without a single exchange of words nor any gestures. They put the sack full of the woman's things in the trunk and when they entered the car, Tsuguri spoke. "So that lady was taking care of her kid without telling anyone, not even her parents."

"..." Higeki just stared at the door of the woman's apartment through the windshield and didn't respond to his partner's statement.

"You saw the picture frame of her as a kid with her parents sitting by her side on a bench. You guessed if she really is a bitch like what you saw in her, she wouldn't keep something like that, didn't you?" Tsuguri continued asking but Higeki didn't answer. After a moment of silence, the long-haired yakuza turned on the vehicle's engine and drove away from the apartment. "Whatever, you're done for the night. I ain't letting you work after that whole shit you did back there."

"..."

"Oi," Tsuguri turned away from the road to look at Higeki, only to see that his partner was asleep. "Are you fucking- Whatever."

The night was cold, peaceful, yet festive at the same time. Only a few days left for the holidays to come for the world to enjoy while the terror of the criminal underground moved with gigantic and earthshaking steps. Higeki's sleep would be the last peaceful yet still nightmarish one before the inevitable would occur to his life.

* * *

_"Suǒyǐ, jiù zhème dìngle, (So, that's it.)" _The voice of a Chinese man spoke through a cellphone that was set on a mic for everyone in the entire room to hear. _"Wǒmen de jīhuì shì zài shèngdàn hé xīnnián (Our chance is at Christmas or in the new year)._

"Shāngdìng. (Agreed.)," A bald man with a bald cut and unshaved beard spoke while drinking a glass of wine. He wore a charcoal grey suit vest, a white shirt with sleeves rolled-up to his elbows, and a blue tie. "Nà shíhòu de zhì'ān huì hěn yánmì, dàn tāmen de gāoxiào xìtǒng yǐjí jǐngchá hé hēidào de gōngzuò liàng dūhuì zēngjiā, zhè jiāng shì tāmen de bàibǐ. (At that time, the law and order will be very strict, but their efficient system and the workload of the police and the underworld will increase, which will be their failure.)"

_"Rúguǒ zhège bùxíng, nǐ zhīdào nǐ de nǎodai huì fāshēng shénme. (If this doesn't work, you know what will happen to your head.)"_ The Chinese man on the phone said in a menacingly low tone.

"shì de, nǐ kěyǐ sī kāi, pāishè, shènzhì zhuāngshì wǒ de tóu zuòwéi zhànlìpǐn. Dànshì, zhè jiāng gōngzuò, wǒ bǎozhèng nǐ. (You can tear apart, shoot, and even decorate my head as a trophy. But this will work, I promise you.)" He reassured the Chinese man and the call ended. A tall man wearing a black sweater approached him and leaned forward to whisper.

"Bartender, the hitman failed to kill the target."

"Tch, and here I was hoping I could have two of my New year wishes granted early," The "Bartender" clicked his tongue in frustration to the hitman's failure but then shrugged his shoulders with a sigh. "Well, it doesn't matter. Once we successfully let the group sent by the Barbaros Syndicate sneak into Japan from all eyes, we can kill two birds with one stone."

"Why are you so hell-bent on that kid sir?" The henchman asked in curiosity while looking at a school photo of Hikigaya.

"He's the old man's new favorite," The bartender answered with a scowl. "I intend to keep an eye on him and see what he'll do next against us but he is stupid enough to join a yakuza clan. He needs to die."

"Can he really be a threat to us?"

"Not exactly..." The bartender stood up and took a knife out of his pocket and pierced Hikigaya's head in the picture. "He pisses me off, that's all. And as for that other 'Isato', we'll deal with him after completing our job. That poser's no threat to us either."

* * *

It was midnight. As the snow fell from the night sky outside of houses, many people fell asleep peacefully to go into another day. Others were still awake because of many reasons. It could be because of work, had late night activities, or their sleeping habits differ from the rest. Sagami was one of the third reason as she laid down in bed while staring at the screen of her cellphone. In the past, her time to sleep was this very time or less due to looking through social media and texting with friends. Now it changed because she was looking through social media and texting Hikigaya. She did text and even called other friends such as Totsuka and Ebina. The glasses-wearing fujoshi became good friends after the Kyoto trip and Miura would often contact her for mundane conversations such as studies, make-up, and other topics for girls. Sagami swiped down her contact list on the Line app to find a specific person to call but stopped when she saw the contact name, "Zaimokuza Yoshiteru".

"This guy is really weird," She mumbled while giggling. It was all thanks to Totsuka that they were able to become actual friends. Two weeks ago, Zaimokusa asked Totsuka to review his latest manuscript since Hikigaya disappeared and he didn't want to request help from the Service Club for an obvious reason. Totsuka refused at first since he didn't have any knowledge of the kind of literature Zaimokuza wrote but he accepted after a loud and pitiful persuasion from the "Blademaster General". Totsuka then asked for Sagami's help in reviewing the novel which she accepted. She did read several books in middle school so she had confidence in giving a critical analysis of his work. The next day, after school, Totsuka and Sagami waited for Zaimokusa in their empty classroom.

_..._

_"Oh, it's the War God's mistress! Good evening to thee!" Zaimokuza shouted with a grandiose tone and posed what appeared to them as a fighting stance. He then turned around with his left hand in his coat pocket and moved his head to look behind him and adjusted his glasses. "What brings a divine goddess such as you to this realm for lowlives?"_

_"Ahahaha... what he means is-" Totsuka awkwardly laughed and tried to translate the meaning behind chuunibyou's words because he thought Sagami would be confused and off-put by this act. However, the brown-haired girl walked forward and raised her head up to look down on Zaimokusa._

_"I seeth thee recognizeth mine own identity. I very much am his mistress, Sagami Minami!" She spoke with the same tone as him while grinning. "State thy identity for I hast reveal'd mineth."_

_"OOHH" Zaimokuza's eyes sparkled from her response. He then turned around to face her with a dramatic pose as he took out his left hand from the pocket and clenched it into a fist. "I am the Blademaster General who is the closest ally to the divine being of archery and war! My name echoed the shogun who reigned the Muromachi period! Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, at your service!"_

_"You can understand him?" Totsuka asked in awe of her ability._

_"Well, I used to read some of those books in my middle school days," Sagami answered while scratching her cheek. "And Hachiman and I have been... sorta doing that often so I can understand this guy a little."_

_"FUHAHAHAHA! YES!" Zaimokuza laughed while both hands on his hips. "As expected of my brother-in-arms. Choosing a mistress who can speak our sacred tongue as we clash our swords in the horrific darkness of chaos! The world that all fools once know shall be-"_

_"But uh... that, I don't understand," She mumbled with a drop of cold sweat on her forehead as the Chuunibyou continued speaking out whatever was in his delusional mind. "Is he always like this?"_

_"Yeah, but he is learning to control this habit." Totsuka approached Zaimokuza with the manuscript in hand and stopped him by speaking. "I asked Sagami-san for help in reviewing your manuscript. Honestly, I don't know about this kind of stuff but I'll try my best."_

_"Your valiant effort from you both is very appreciated!" The Chuunibyou grabbed the chair next to him and sat down. "Shall we begin with a verdict?"_

_"Verdict? Umm..." Totsuka looked up to the ceiling to think of a fair answer. "F-Five out of ten?"_

_"Guh!" Zaimokuza bent forward and clenched his chest with a pained expression._

_"Is he alright?" Sagami asked in a worried tone._

_"He's fine. This happens a lot every time Hachiman reviewed his manuscripts though bluntly and without holding back."_

_"W-What about yours, mistress?" Zaimokuza asked with heavy breathing._

_"Uhh... I guess..." Sagami flipped the pages to remind herself of the story the Chuunibyou wrote, trying to rate it fairly high based on her overall opinion. She thought about lying but she dismissed that suggestion. "Probably... six out of ten?"_

_"GAAAHH!" The Blademaster General knelt down on the floor and coughed. "S-Such low scores... Please state your reason..."_

_"Well, the story gets confusing sometimes..." When Totsuka said his opinion, Zaimokuza gasped in pain._

_"And I feel like the characters are a little... I don't know, they kinda don't make sense to me." Sagami also voiced out her opinion which made the Chuunibyou laid down on his back and his entire body shook as if he had a seizure._

_"W-What's the problem with the characters?" Zaimokuza asked as he was in all fours._

_"Ah, he starts talking normally now," Sagami commented and flipped the pages of the manuscript to find other flaws and other elements worth calling out. The more the two critiques pointed out many things written in the manuscript, the more in pain Zaimokuza looked as he began rolling on the floor, hitting the desks and chairs. While Totsuka was smiling awkwardly and trying to calm the "Blademaster General", Sagami looked through the door window, hoping desperately that no one would come here._

_"Should we stop?" Sagami asked with a worried expression._

_"NO!" Zaimokuza slowly stood up with shaky legs and looked at them with a determined expression. "Do not cease! The Blademaster General can endure more reality-shattering words for the sake of his dream! Continueth thy critique!"_

_"Aaaand~ his speech went back to that," The brown-haired girl read the last page of the manuscript while Totsuka laughed at her comment. After skimming through paragraphs, she spoke. "I think that's it for me. What about you, Sai-chan?"_

_"I think I'm done too."_

_"I see, so it still needs some work," Zaimokuza mumbled in a surprisingly serious tone and suddenly struck a pose while adjusting his glasses which made their lens shine from the evening sunlight's reflection. "This is what I needed. I appreciate thy contribution to mine worketh."_

_"Your welcome," Sagami responded and looked down on the floor in contemplation. "Zaimokuza, right?"_

_"Yes! That is my name, mistress!"_

_"Can I get your Line contact?"_

_"W-What?" Zaimokuza fell down the floor with his back in shock at her request. "Y-You wish for my means of communication!? For what cause?!"_

_"So we can communicate?"_

_"I see... Hmmm..." He turned around to contemplate on her request while hiding his nervous expression and pulled out a cellphone in his coat pocket. Sagami and Totsuka looked at each other and giggled lightly at his display of inexperience in being social to someone. After waiting for the Chuunibyou fiddling the device, he turned around and coughed to regain his usual demeanor and showed them his Line account on the screen. "Very well, I shall gladly give you the spirit link that will let us communicate."_

_"Did you just download the app on the spot and made an account?" Totsuka asked while giggling._

_"HAHAHAHA! What nonsense are you speaking?" He laughed unnecessarily louder than usual with a drop of cold sweat dripping on his cheek. "Now let us exchange our sacred numbers to form the spirit link!"_

_..._

"He's weird but a good guy." Sagami mumbled while chuckling as she swiped down the list and reached the bottom to see Hikigaya Hachiman's contact info. Before she could call him, a notification appeared which was a text message from him.

**-Last Updated: 30 seconds ago-**

[12:00 AM] Higeki: I got the week off. I'll be there tomorrow.

She read that short message over and over again, thinking if this was a dream or some kind of prank, and texted him in response.

[12:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: Really?! This isn't a cruel joke, is it?! 😞😞😞😞😞😍😍😍😍😍😁😁😁😁😁😞😞😞😁😁😍😍😞😞😂😂😋😋😆😆😆😍😍😍😍😐😐😍😍😍😍😋😆😆😆😞😞😂

[12:00 AM] Higeki: No, it's not. and stop spamming emoji's.

[12:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: 😂😂😈😈😅😅😅😇😇😇😍😍😍😍😍😅😅😅😁😁😁😁😁

[12:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: 😤😤😤😂😂😂😅😍😍😍😁😁😁😃😃😍😍

[12:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[12:00 AM] 😈 Mina 😈: 😞😞😞😣😣😣😣😣😣😁😁😁😁😁😁

Sagami couldn't stop sending emojis to him. She was so fast that Hikigaya's messages disappeared upward in the screen until the entire chat was all her emojis. Her happiness was through the roof and her entire concentration was all on the phone screen as she sent as many emojis as she could. She already thought about the things she and Hikigaya would do this week and hoped they could catch up to each other in their lives. Sagami stopped thinking about the plans as her happy expression was replaced with a mix of worry and fear. What happened to him in these past two months? Was he still the same person she fell in love with? While they still interacted via text messages, it wasn't informative nor true enough for her to determine his current state of wellbeing. But Sagami had faith in him and hoped she could be helpful if he had any trouble. A ringing tone from the phone interrupted her line of thought and so she looked to see who was calling.

_"Yuigahama Yui"_

"Yui?" The brown-haired girl hesitated for a moment until she answered the call. "Hello?"

_"Y-Yahallo, Sagamin."_ Yuigahama's voice was heard behind the phone. Her cheery voice sounded forced. _"Mind if we uhh... y'know... chat a bit?"_

* * *

**TRIVIA**

**1)** Oyabun means "boss" in Japanese. It's how the yakuza members address the boss.

**2) **In 8man's new name, Higeki means "Tragedy", and Yuudai means "great hero".

So I'll try my best to put as many flashbacks and hints as possible to make sense of all this while not ruining the flow of the story. This is the only thing I could think of for this fanfic. Whether you enjoy it or not, I understand it completely.

Thank you for reading this chapter. Please leave a review as your opinions will help me make this story better.


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